New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government and the Central Pollution Control Board to map the sound levels in Connaught Place, particularly when demonstrations are carried out by protesters near the historic Jantar Mantar.
Acting on the complaint made by a resident of Connaught Place, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the city government to examine the sound levels in the area and to take steps like fixing decibel limits for curbing noise pollution.
“The said mapping shall be done when demonstrations are going on and when no demonstration is being held in that area. They shall also identify alternative sites to the present one for holding demonstrations to prevent noise pollution and traffic congestion, resulting in air pollution,” the bench said.
The NGT had earlier asked the AAP government to look into the possibility of shifting the venue to Ramlila Maidan, which is also used for holding major political rallies and meetings.
The green panel said that the Supreme Court and the high courts have passed orders from time to time for relocation of the venue to some other place, but nothing has been done.
The NGT was hearing a plea filed by Varun Seth and others alleging that processions and agitations held by social groups, political parties, and NGOs at the Jantar Mantar Road were a major source of noise pollution in the area.
The plea said that regular protests “violate their right to live in a peaceful and healthy environment, right to silence, right to sleep, and right to live with dignity.”
They also claimed that despite the law — that disallows noise to cross 40 decibels — being in place, they have to endure sound from loudspeakers which sometimes go up to as high as 300 decibels.
