1985 saw a panel to control volume

After Dr YT Oke and the Association of Medical Consultants filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court in 1985 asking for more control over noise during festivals, Justice Sujata Manohar appointed a committee headed by VN Desai, a former municipal commissioner.

The eight-member committee was asked to prepare a report on noise pollution in the city. The panel was also told to find out if the police and municipal authorities were enforcing existing anti-noise laws and also recommend steps to curb the nuisance.

At that time, the only laws under which culprits could be booked for the crime were the Bombay Police Act, 1951, the Bombay Municipal Act 1888, the Motor Vehicles Act and the Cinematograph Act. These laws were rarely used to book accused and there was no separate legislation to take care of nuisance from noise.

n August 1986, the VN Desai Committee came up with its list of recommendations and observations. It was the first such report on noise pollution.

 Tomorrow: Two more writ petitions had to be filed before the country got adequate noise
pollution laws