Show Cause Notice Issued To Diljit Dosanjh Concert Organizer For Breaching Noise Limits: Chandigarh UT Admin Tells Punjab & Haryana HC

Noting that UT administration of Chandigarh had issued show cause notice to the organizer of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh's concert–which happened last month–for breaching noise levels, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday (January 9) disposed of a PIL for directions to control noise pollution during the event.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sudhir Singh while dictating its order noted that the court had on December 13 while permitting the concert to take place on December 14 had directed that the event must adhere to noise limits, maintaining ambient air quality standards with a maximum noise level of 75 decibels otherwise penal action can be taken against the organizers.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by a resident, Ranjeet Singh, seeking directions to the UT Administration to submit a detailed report on traffic management, crowd control, noise pollution, etc. for the concert at Chandigarh.

The court was informed by the counsel appearing for the UT administration that a compliance report had been filed which was accompanied by a December 16 letter of SDM South UT admin, revealing that decibel level of 75 was breached.

"Accordingly UT administration has issued show cause notices to the organizer company on January 2 asking to show cause why action under Section 15C of the Environment Protection Act be not taken. In view of the above this court is satisfied that since interim order of maintaining particular decibel level was breached the UT administration has taken appropriate steps in accordance with law which the court believes will be taken to its logical end after following due process of law," the court said.

It thereafter closed the proceedings in the PIL. During the hearing the court in a lighter vein orally remarked that a concert is taking place in Ahmedabad this month, by British band Coldplay. It then orally said to the petitioner, "Go file a plea there...that is taking place in the biggest stadium with the capacity of 50 lakhs...It just took 4 seconds for the window to close for the tickets and 1,50,000 tickets were sold only in 4 seconds".

The court was also told that the band had to increase the number of shows in India, as the tickets were sold in 5-10 minutes.

Giving reference to another event held earlier in the same place, the petitioner had in the plea claimed that the organizers and authorities have neglected issues like traffic management, noise pollution, and public safety, thereby violating citizens' fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. Allegations were also made regarding breaches of environmental regulations, including the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, of 2000.

Case Title: RANJEET SINGH Vs. UNION TERRITORY OF CHANDIGARH AND OTHERS