Bombay High Court: Will you act against MMRCL officers?

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked the state government to clarify whether it will take any action against officers of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) if the noise generated at its construction sites for the metro project is higher than the prescribed limit as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2017. During the last hearing, the court had directed the police to record the noise level at sites located at Churchgate, Cuffe Parade and Mahim, where the metro- project work is going on.

A division bench of Justices A.S.Oka and Riyaz Chagala was hearing a bunch of petitions filed for strict implementation of the noise pollution rules. During the last hearing, Sumaira Abdul Ali had informed the court that the noise levels due to the construction of the Metro 3 Colaba-Andheri-Seepz was very high. On Wednesday, the state filed a report before the court saying noise decibel levels at all the three spots were higher than the permissible limit.

Additional government pleader Manish Pabale, told the High Court that the police followed a standard procedure in such cases by which noise levels are recorded thrice and the average is then taken. Hence in this particular case, the police cannot register an offence, he said. The bench directed the government to file the affidavit by May 4 when it will hear the petitions.