Pune: Third protest in a week seeks ban on loudspeakers, DJs during religious festivals

Thousands of Pune residents on Sunday held a march to the headquarters of the municipal corporation to demand a ban on high-decibel sound systems during religious festivals and stricter action against noise pollution, The Indian Express reported.

The march, organised by the Loudspeaker-Virodhi Punekar Manch, was the third agitation in a week. The first two protests were held on August 30.

The citizens’ protests on Sunday came two days after activist Vidyanand Bapat was assaulted on Friday when he was giving a TV interview about noise pollution in the city. Bapat, a Pune resident, has been campaigning against the use of loudspeakers and disk jockeys, including during the Ganeshotsav festivities that start on September 14 this year.

The first information report has been registered against the attacker, who was arrested on Friday.

Bapat did not participate in the march on Sunday, saying that the campaign must focus on the cause and should not become a movement in his support following the assault, the Hindustan Times reported.

The protesters on Sunday said that their demand to ban DJs and loudspeakers was not linked to any particular festival or community, but was against the excessive and unauthorised noise at all public events, the newspaper reported.

In a representation submitted to the police, the group of citizens demanded that the police, the municipal...

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