State govt cites problem in banning loudspeakers at religious places

LUCKNOW: The state government has told the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court that there were practical problems in putting complete a ban on the use of loudspeakers/amplifiers in relegious, social, cultural and other places where large crowds gather.

It was indicated in the personal affidavit of principal secretary (home) Arvind Kumar, who appeared before the court on April 30 in connection with the case. Renuka Kumar, chairperson, UP Pollution Control Board, appeared and filed her personal affidavit as per the court’s order. The court took the affidavits on record and listed the case for July 20.

A division bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice Abdul Moin passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by local lawyer ML Yadav.

The petitioner alleged that noise pollution regulation and control rules 2000 was not being followed at religious places like temples, mosques, gurudwara and churches.

On behalf of the state government, additional advocate general (AAG) Ramesh Kumar Singh appeared and informed the court that the state government was taking effective action to curb noise pollution and maintaining it at permissible limit. All DMs and SSPs had been directed to work with concerned authorities and officials in this regard. Some suggestions were sent to central pollution control board regarding the said rules, he said.

MANOJ KUMAR SINGH