Mumbai has silence zones: HC to Maharashtra Government

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Silence zones definitely exist in Mumbai, says The Bombay High Court. The HC expressed its displeasure over the Maharashtra government's stand that Mumbai's 1,537 silence zone no longer exist. The state government is of this view owing to the amendment of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control), 2000 on August 10.

The HC further deemed that the Maharashtra Government was being extremely unfair with this opinion and that silence zones do indeed exist in Mumbai and no loudspeakers could be used in these areas.

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According to the Maharashtra government, under the new rules, no area would be deemed a silence zone until a special notification by the state. Based on this, the state government has decreed that no silence zones exist in Mumbai, since no notification has been provided as per the amended rules.

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According to Hindustan Times, the division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla rejected the stand of the Maharashtra Government represented by advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, noting is as adamant. The judges further said that silence zones were not wiped out in Mumbai after the amendment of Noise Pollution Rules on August 10.

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The bench further said that educational institutions, hospitals, religious shrines and courts are without a doubt silence zones as per its judgment of August 2016, and that loudspeakers are forbidden in these areas.

The court will clarify on Thursday as the hearing on the petitions concerning increasing menace of noise pollution and the non-implementation of the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, continues, whether silence zones exist in Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra and if loudspeakers are to be allowed in these places in the event of religious festivities.

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