The civic body informed a division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Revati Mohit Dhere that already 57 permissions had been given to Ganesh mandals to erect pandals.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has moved the Bombay High Court seeking modification, for this year, to a high court order directing the authorities to set up a grievance mechanism to enable citizens to complain about noise pollution and illegal mandaps and pandals on roads/footpaths during festivals.
The civic body informed a division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Revati Mohit Dhere that already 57 permissions had been given to Ganesh mandals to erect pandals. The BMC claimed that it had been following a policy since 2011 for issuing such permissions, in accordance with the traffic police, to ensure citizens were not inconvenienced.
Counsel Anil Sakhare also informed the court that it would be difficult to implement the court order this year during Ganeshotsav which will be held in September and a proper mechanism would be worked out for coming years. The application by BMC also cited that pandals/mandaps were put up on roads and footpaths even during the days of freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak and thus it was an old practice.
The bench is likely to pass an order on the BMC plea on Friday. The court also granted one week to the state for compliance of its court orders, after it was informed that no proper compliance had been made by government. It said, "It has been four months since we passed the order and still no compliance is made. If you want to challenge it, we will welcome that. But how can you not comply our orders."
Advocate General Anil Singh assured the court that the order will be complied soon and a list of designated officers and their contact numbers and address will be advertised for the convenience of citizens.
Dr Mahesh Bedekar had filed a petition in 2010, citing the issue of pandals being raised randomly during festivals without requisite permissions. The HC had at that time said that silence was the fundamental right of citizens and the state was asked to provide a redressal mechanism for receiving complaints on noise pollution and was directed to demolish illegal booths or platforms.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}