Sound check: Mahim gets its quietest fair in 5 years

The noise level, 99.8db, still beyond permissible limit

MUMBAI: A significant drop in noise levels, compared to previous years, was recorded on the first day of Mahim Fair on Friday.

But anti-noise campaigner, Awaaz Foundation, which has been collecting noise pollution data at the fair since 2013, said although the decibel (db) levels were the lowest since 2013, it was above safe limits prescribed for residential areas.

As per Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, residential areas should have a maximum noise level of 55db in the day and 45db at night.

The maximum noise level at the fair was recorded at 99.8 db (as loud as a Boeing 737 at one nautical mile before landing) around 4.05pm on Friday. It was coming from a police band playing music inside the Mahim Police Station, which has a traditional connection to the fair.

The highest noise reading in the past six years was recorded at 122.5 db in 2017 followed by 117.3 in 2016, 113.6 db in 2015, 108.3 db in 2014, and 104.4 in 2013.

Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation, said she was verbally threatened by the crowd while recording the noise pollution levels. She wrote to the Mumbai police commissioner about the incident.

“While taking readings, a policeman came to me and saw the readings. He requested me to come to the police station and within five minutes the noise stopped. While I was leaving, some of the ladies who had come to visit the fair threatened me verbally,” she said.

“I am unaware of the actions the police have taken against the violators,” Abdulali said.

The Mumbai police, who had deputed its officers at the venue, said they ensured no untoward incident took place while the fair would be on and disallowed the noisy processions this year.

“We have limited the number of bands and processions to cap the noise pollution levels. A lot of precautions have been taken with the presence of police personnel. This will continue for the next 10 days,” said Vikram Deshmane, deputy commissioner of police (Zone V).

“As far as the alleged verbal threats is concerned, it was nothing major. Our assistant police commissioner and senior police inspector were present there.”

In 2016, 117.3 db of noise level was recorded at the fair with a police procession violating the noise rules. Subsequently, the Bombay high court (HC) issued show-cause notices of contempt against senior police inspector of the Mahim police station and assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Mahim division, for using loudspeakers inside the police station compound during the fair.

The 10-day annual festival’s inaugural procession begins at Mahim police station with policemen carrying an offering of sandalwood paste, perfume or attar, flowers, silver utensils and a silk chaddar to the tomb of Makhdoom Ali Mahimi. The Mahim Dargah management had earlier this week directed sandal committees, which manages the offerings at the dargah, to ensure noise

levels were not breached.

“Since we did not want to trouble the nearby citizens, we discouraged the use of disc jockeys and loudspeakers. There was a small outburst among the devotees on Friday when the noise levels were being monitored. It was due to people’s faith on the dargah,” said Sohail Khandwani, managing trustee of Mahim Dargah.