Muted Navratri & Dasara festivities likely as Hyderabad police bans DJ systems
Hyderabad: This year expect muted Navratri and Dasara celebrations as the Hyderabad police has banned the use of loud music during the upcoming festivals.
The police have ordered the music system rentals and DJs to stick to the guidelines related to the noise pollution levels in the city. Earlier, Goshamahal ACP Kotla Venkat Reddy held a meeting with the idol organizers and rental agencies of the music systems and instructed them to desist from using blaring music during the upcoming festivities from October 3 to October 12, 2024.
It is pertinent to note that during Navratri celebrations, some people organize ‘dandiya’ gatherings in the night and the organizers hire the services of DJs who brought the music systems with them for the event.
Recently, Muslims celebrated the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday commonly known as Eid Milad in Nabi. During the festival near Charminar, a generator near the music system equipment caught fire which resulted in chaos briefly.
The Hyderabad police decision to ban the use of loud music during religious festivals follows the massive feedback from the city residents who had been complaining against the rising levels of noise pollution and health risks associated with the constant exposure to the blaring sound.
Commissioner of Police CV Anand has said any kind of non-compliance related to the music systems would invite strict legal action. He said the police department has received several complaints against the use of DJ systems and the blaring sound is also impacting the coordination between the police officials who use walkie-talkie to receive and share communication during the bandobast for festivals.
The citizens’ complaints followed the recent spike in noise pollution owing to the festivals. The permissible noise limits during the daytime and nighttime in and around Jubilee Hills are 55 decibels (dB) and 45 dB respectively but the noise pollution levels exceeded 63 dB during the festival.
DJs need permission before holding performances at public events and the rule is no different for all religious processions, political rallies, marriages, and other events held at public places. As per Rule 8 of Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, organizers need to seek permission from concerned police authorities for using loudspeakers/DJ in public places.
