Draft Notification to Categorize Zones As Per Noise pollution Rules Ready: Karnataka Govt. Tells HC

19 years after Noise pollution rules came into force state government comes out with draft notification to categorize zones as per the Rules

Karnataka High Court was on Thursday informed by the State government that it has issued a draft notification categorizing areas under various zones as per the Noise pollution rules. As per the act areas can be segregated under Industrial, Commercial, Residential and Silence zones.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Mohmmad Nawaz were told the draft notification is issued on September 12 and suggestions and objections are called from the public. Following which the final notification would be published. The draft notification, earmarks 100 meters area around hospitals, educational institutions and courts as 'silence zone'. The court has directed the government to publish the final notification in two months time.

The direction was given during the hearing of a PIL filed by Defence Colony Resident Association, highlighting the problem of noise pollution in Indiranagar area due to several pubs operating. Permissible decibel limits in residential areas, during the day time is 55 dB (A) and night time it is 45 dB (A). in Industrial area it is 75 dB (A) during the day and 70 dB (A) at night. Commercial Areas during day time permissible limit is 55 dB (A) and 45 dB (A). In silence zones day time permissible limit is 50 dB (A) and night time 40 dB (A).

The state also informed the court about making available decibel meters to police officers, as they are supposed to implement the rules by recording noise levels. It was said purchase of 125 sound meters for the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and 108 sound meters for the Bengaluru police at a cost of ₹3 lakh each to monitor noise levels as prescribed under the Rules, is permitted. The meters will also have a printing facility to give instant results of the readings. .

The bench then directed the government to ensure that all major town and city police across the state are provided with meters and also urged the government to find out the actual amount of meters required, so that effective implementation of noise pollution rules can be done.

During an earlier hearing the bench had observed that "There is hardly any implementation of Noise Pollution Rules. We propose to fix the timelines to implement the Noise Pollution Rules which are 19 years old."