HC directs traffic cops to check noise pollution

Mumbai, Oct 19 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today directed the State police to strictly implement regulations with respect to checking noise pollution, due to traffic, around the courts in Mumbai.

A division bench comprising justices R M Lodha and S A Bobde also directed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Vasant Gosavi to file a fresh complaince report on December 13.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Adv Udayan Shah alleging that though areas around the courts are declared as silence zones, there was considerable noise pollution due to honking and traffic.

Additional State Government pleader Niranjan Pandit submitted before the court that implementation of all the regulations was not easy.

Meanwhile, the DCP (Traffic) submitted an affidavit before the court today stating that the speed limit enforced near the High Court was 25 kmph. However, the court was informed that the speed limit near the High Court was in fact 30 kmph at which the division bench reprimanded the DCP for ''misleading the court under oath'' and directed him to tender an apology by tomorrow.

The court observed that the provisions of the Noise Pollution Prevention) Act should be enforced in letter and spirit and offenders should be duly punished.

The court directed the DCP (Traffic) to ensure strict implementation of the Act around the city courts and also elsewhere across the metropolis. The total road length in the metropolis is around 1999 kilometres while the taffic density in the city is about 700 kilometres per kilometre of road length.

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