India or Bharat: What does the Law say?

NEW TREND OF USING HAZARDOUS LASER BEAMS.
The Petition also challenges the illegal use of laser beams. On several locations / processions during recently concluded Ganesh festival, a new trend of using dangerous light laser beams as a subject of attraction along with sound systems emitting illegal levels of dB noise. The lights used for such laser beams are dangerous for the naked eyes of humans, and there are reports of several people having their eyesight permanently damaged due to the exposure to such light beams.
Apparently, there are no rules or guidelines for usage of such hazardous laser beams, and the authorities are turning a blind eye to this problem.

Quote of the Petitioner
"The govt must implement the judgement of supreme court in the interest of common man, patients, human beings, animals, and Nature. All the people have aggrieved, and they want peace." AKHIL BHARATIYA GRAHAK PANCHAYAT - THROUGH THEIR SANGHATAK: MR VIJAY GANPATI SAGAR - Mobile 94225 02315

Quote of Residents:
"This is the right time for a central policy for regulation of sound equipment in public places including nominating a govt authority to test and certify audio equipment and implementation of decibel control settings with auto switch off once noise is beyond the permissible limit." Mr. Ravindra Sinha - Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust - 77740 01188

Quote of Advocate Satya Muley:
Right to Free Speech and Expression guaranteed under Article 19 also includes Right to Silence, Right to not being forced to hear sounds which are unwanted.
Under Article 21, the people have a right to rest, the right to sound sleep, and a safe, pollution-free environment. Pollution also means Air pollution, which includes Sound pollution.
There are laws in place. The Noise Pollution Rules of 2000 are very clear, and the Environmental Protection Act prescribes up to 5 years of imprisonment and one Lakh rupees of fines on violators.
From the recent trend it is evident that the authorities are not at all acting on sound pollution and laser beam usage related violations as there is a complete lack of political will from their political bosses.
Therefore, the Petition seeks to strictly implement the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2000, The Environment Protection Act 1986 and punish the offender. The Petition also seeks to call for data on all complaints received in context to noise pollution in past two years and report about action taken on such complaints from all the respondents in context to all the districts in the State of Maharashtra.
The Petition also seeks to ensure that there is blanket and complete ban on sale, lease, import, manufacturing and use of loud-speakers, sound systems emitting noise above the permitted limits as per the schedule of the Noise Pollution Rules 2000.
The Petition also seeks direction to the Respondents to submit a report about usage of hazardous light laser beams in various processions, ceremonies, events whether political or religious, the laws applicable, and strictly implement the same, and in the absence of any such regulation, impose a complete ban on sale and use of such hazardous laser beams at public places, till the State develops appropriate regulation and implements it across the State of Maharashtra.

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Satya Muley
Satya is a leading Civil & Criminal Law lawyer from Western India.
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