Noise-free environment part of right to life, its violation criminal offence: NGT

By LE Desk

New Delhi, June 15: Noise-free environment is part of the right to life and its violation is a criminal offence, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said while directing authorities to look into a plea alleging noise pollution at gurdwaras in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the states of Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to ensure that no loudspeaker or public address system shall be used by any person including religious bodies in temples, mosques and gurdwaras without written permission of the authority, news agency PTI reported.

“Noise-free environment being part of the right to life and binding statutory rules having been framed on the subject, violation of which is a criminal offence and the high court has given binding directions, no further adjudication is required. Only compliance is to be made by the executive authorities concerned. Accordingly, the district magistrate and Hoshiarpur SSP need to look into the grievance of the applicant in accordance with the law,” the bench said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Balwinder Kaur against the failure of the statutory authorities to regulate noise pollution at gurdwaras in Hoshiarpur district.

The plea alleged failure of the statutory authorities to regulate noise pollution in Hoshiarpur, particularly at Hamja village in Dasuya tehsil.

According to the applicant, the management committee of Gurdwara Chhevi Patshahi, management committee of Guru Nanak Dukh Bhanjan Satsang Ghar, pastor, Amanat Khan Memorial GN Church, Kotli Khurd, Gurdwara Singh Sabha and Gurdwara Sahib Kala, Kullian, are using loudspeakers at high volume. In spite of the complaint to the Dasuya SDM and to the state pollution control board, remedial action was not being taken, the plea alleged, reported PTI.