BENGALURU — After several right-wing organizations launched campaigns against using loudspeakers at mosques, Bengaluru city police on Tuesday started seizing microphones from places of worship that allegedly defied court orders on noise pollution.
On Tuesday, city police commissioner Kamal Pant said that several microphones were seized from religious places where court orders were violated and the police have booked cases. He added that the drive will continue to monitor the prescribed decibel levels and action will be initiated.
301 religious places, including temples, churches, and mosques, have been issued notices in garden city, Pant said adding they have asked to stick to the rules on noise as per the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
This move comes against the backdrop of hardline Hindu activists, who vowed to play Hanuman Chalisa through loudspeakers to counter the azaan in the morning. However, the police called it a part of an awareness drive.
On Tuesday, Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik had warned that if the government fails to remove microphones from all the mosques, then they would protest against it by singing bhajans using loudspeakers in temples.
As per Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, the use of loudspeakers or public address systems is restricted, “except after obtaining written permission from the authority.”
It is not using a loudspeaker/public address system at night between 10 pm and 6 am. except in closed premises for communication within – auditoria, conference rooms, community halls, and banquet halls.
“The State Government may subject to such terms and conditions as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, permit use of loudspeakers or public address systems during night hours (between 10 p.m. to midnight on or during any cultural or religious festive occasion of a limited duration not exceeding fifteen days in all during a calendar year,” the rules add.
— (The Hindustan Gazette)