Political booths breach noise curbs as Ganpati processions turn quieter: Awaaz Foundation

MUMBAI: Most Ganpati visarjan processions in Mumbai on September 25 and 26 appeared to have turned down the volume on loudspeakers and DJ music compared with last year. However, political party booths continued to record high noise levels, including after midnight, in violation of the 10pm to 6am restriction on loud music, according to a report by environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation, submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday.

Abdulali, who has documented noise levels during Ganeshotsav since 2003, travelled across Mumbai from Bandra to Girgaon Chowpatty on September 25 and 26 to record sound levels from the streets. Her report found that several processions were conducted without loudspeakers or generators, while the highest readings were recorded at locations where loudspeakers, banjos or dhol-tasha were being used.

At 10.03pm in Bandra West, a banjo with loudspeakers recorded 91 to 107.8 decibels. A dhol-tasha procession in Worli at 10.28pm recorded 94 to 107 dB despite not using loudspeakers. At 11.15pm, a political party booth at Girgaon Chowpatty recorded 92 to 103 dB while playing music through loudspeakers.