Activists slam BMC noise circular

Activists have alleged that a circular issued bythe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) notifying the relaxation of the Noise Pollution (Control and Regulations) Rules 2000 is a blatant attempt to favour the builder lobby under the garb of ‘ease of doing business’. The circular grants builders and developers permission to work for an additional four hours.

Activists have now written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene and recall the controversial circular with immediate effect.

The existing conditions of the Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) for noise pollution under the Noise Pollution (Control and Regulations) 2000 and notification issued by ministry of environment and forest dated February 14, 2000 restrict construction and development work from being carried out before sunrise and after sunset, with a timeline of 7 am to 7 pm.

Authorities working on the revised draft development plan (RDDP) 2034. however, modifying the IOD norms while citing the ease of doing business model, issued a circular on June 2, stating that the revised condition of IOD shall continue to relax the norms. A new set of suggestions in the RDDP 2034, has allowed the work to be carried out between 6 am and 10pm, extending the existing timeline by more than four hours. Officials confirmed that the new modifications would be made applicable to all the ongoing development proposals as well as new development proposals.

Activist Godfrey Pimenta from the Watchdog Foundation, who has written to the government to intervene in the matter claimed that the new norms were a ploy to favour the lobby and is largely against the welfare of the common man.

“The modification is highly objectionable and anti-citizen. If the BMC is responsible for its affairs, it should get rid of corruption in the building proposal department and make passing of plans a single window system for ease of business. Cosmetic changes in the working of the BMC will not solve the issue,” said Mr Pimenta.

He also added that as only competent authorities that have the authority to grant relevant permissions for noise-related activities could change norms, chief engineer of the RDDP, without having any such authority, had tweaked the rules.