As per the Noise Pollution Act, the area that falls under 100 metres from any hospital is a silence zone. However, the Mumbai General Post Office (GPO) seems to be unaware of this. The GPO, which is situated opposite St George Hospital played loud music in its annual day function on Sunday till late night. The GPO was decked up with colourful lights and flowers and staff members, donning suits, attended the function, where a succession of Bollywood songs were blasted into the night. The hospital, to lessen the impact of the din, kept all its windows closed when patients and their relatives complained about it.
“Many patients had problems sleeping so we closed all the windows facing the road. We also requested them to lower the volume, but they didn’t listen,” said a guard of the hospital.
Dr J.P. Bhavani, superintendent of the hospital, said that guards were sent to the venue to request them to turn down the volume. “We didn’t file an official complaint, as it was Sunday. But the police should actually take responsibility because it had allowed the GPO to play loud music near a hospital,” he said.
At 11 pm, when this reporter visited the hospital venue, several drunken attendees of the GPO programme were lurking about, which poses a threat to family members of patients. The intoxicated staffers abused this reporter verbally for clicking pictures when a hospital guard intervened.
However, when The Asian Age contacted chief post master general A.K. Dash, he admitted that music was played, but within the permissible level and it was stopped after 10.30 pm. “It was our office function so music was played but no rule has been broken. The function got over at 10.30 pm. I left at 10.40 pm and I don’t think they played any loud music after that,” said Mr Dash.
“I will still inquire and will also check on the officers who allegedly got drunk and caused a ruckus in the adjoining hospital area,” he said.
When the MRA police station was contacted, senior police officer Sukhlal Barpe said that the GPO had not taken its permission for usage of loudspeakers for the function. “No permission was sought from us for usage of loudspeaker so it is out of question that we allowed loudspeakers to be used near a hospital. We aren’t responsible,” he said.
