Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked the state to submit the dates of upcoming festivals so that it can pass final orders in public interest litigations pertaining to noise pollution and pandals. The court has asked the state to issue notices to concerned officials stating that aggravated contempt proceedings will be initiated against them if there are violations during the upcoming festive season.

A division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations seeking directions to the state and civic and pollution control authorities to ensure that noise pollution norms are not violated during festivals and that noise levels are maintained within permissible decibel limits. The PILs pointed not only to the cacophony caused by loudspeakers in pandals but also the fact that pandals were put up on roads causing inconvenience to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The PILs were filed by Awaaz Foundation, Hirali Foundation and other individual petitioners representing different parts of the city and the state.

When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, the bench addressed government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani and sought the dates of upcoming festivals. The bench said that as sufficient time had been given to the state to comply with various directions relating to noise pollution norms, it was time to pass final orders with regard to these petitions.

The bench asked the state to issue notices to all concerned officials that in the event of complaints of noise pollution norms being violated and pandals inconveniencing people, proceedings of aggravated contempt would be initiated against them.