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Decibel Dilemma
Context: In India, religious festivals are a vibrant tapestry of culture, devotion, and community celebration. However, this vibrancy often manifests as overwhelming noise—from pounding drums, blaring loudspeakers, and frenzied crowds—that transcends the boundaries of celebration and becomes a public nuisance.
What factors have made religious festivals and functions noisy?
- Cultural Symbolism and one-upmanship: Loudness is now often equated with the scale of devotion and fervour, leading to a competitive spirit among communities and pandals to be the “loudest” and most visible celebration.
- Social Validation and Normalisation: Noise has become a “civic badge,” where the loudest streets are presumed to be the most alive.
- Technological Accessibility: The easy availability and affordability of high-wattage speakers, DJ equipment, and amplified sound systems have removed the natural limitations of acoustic instruments, enabling noise to be generated at unprecedented levels and for prolonged durations.
- Weak Enforcement and Political Patronage: Despite clear guidelines from the Supreme Court and noise pollution rules, enforcement is notoriously weak.
- Commercialisation: Sponsorships, brand associations, and pandal competitions often prioritise grandeur and spectacle, of which loud music and large crowds are key components, further fueling the noise levels.
How have religious festivals encroached on citizens’ right to life and liberty?
The constant assault of noise from festivals constitutes a serious infringement on fundamental rights, as interpreted by the judiciary:
- Violation of Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty): The Supreme Court has consistently held that the right to life encompasses the right to live with dignity, the right to health, and the right to a pollution-free environment. Excessive noise pollution directly violates this:
- Health Hazards: Chronic exposure to high decibels leads to well-documented health issues like stress, hypertension, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and cardiovascular problems.
- Loss of Amenity: Even behind closed doors and on higher floors, the cacophony is relentless, making it “hard to breathe” and creating a state of “quiet dread.”
- Imbalance of Rights (Article 25 vs. Article 21): While Article 25 guarantees the freedom to profess and practice religion, this right is not absolute. It is subject to public order, morality, and health.
- Magnification of Inequality: The poor and middle-class, often living in closer proximity to the sources of noise, bear the brunt of this assault without recourse, making it an issue of environmental justice.
What measures can be taken to address the challenges?
- Strict and Impartial Enforcement of Existing Laws: The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, set clear decibel limits for silent, residential, commercial, and industrial zones.
- Technological Solutions and Zoning: Promote the use of directional speakers that contain sound within a specific area rather than letting it bleed into residential neighbourhoods.
- Promoting Cultural Change and Awareness: Media can play a role by highlighting celebrations that are eco-friendly and noise-conscious.
- Judicial and Legislative Strengthening: Citizens must be encouraged to use channels like the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and courts to seek redressal.
- Urban Planning: Develop more green buffers and acoustic barriers in cities. Incorporate noise mapping into urban development plans to identify and mitigate chronic noise hotspots.
