Tribunal order may ‘silence’ weddings in western India

Pune: The National Green Tribunal has put severe restrictions on live bands or DJ music, dancing and other noisy celebrations at marriages, violation of which could invite police action, an activist said on Saturday.

The NGT West Zone bench comprising Justice Vikas R. Kingaonkar, Judicial Member and Dr. Ajay Deshpande, Expert Member, said in a landmark order that unnecessary activities like dancing by groups could attract action by police under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, for creating public nuisance.

The NGT order of April 9, came on an environmental interest litigation (EIL) filed by Sujal Sahakari Griharachana Sanstha Chairman Ujwala V. Ghanekar on behalf of residents of D.P. Road near Mhatre Bridge, Pune, through activist-lawyer Asim Sarode.

Sarode pleaded before the NGT that such noise pollution is not confined to Pune, but is all over Maharashtra and submitted a bunch of affidavits from various parts of the state highlighting the issue. These included affidavits by lawyers Roshni Wanode of Yavatmal, Hema Katkar of Kolhapur, Samir Kulkarni of Sindhudurg, Vijay Shelke of Buldhana, Santosh Sangokar of Jalgaon and Smita Singalkar of Nagpur.

They pointed to the serious pollution problems posed by "noisy marriage halls and lawns", creating noise pollution due to loud Dolby music systems installed for different wedding functions, music band players deployed during marriage processions and traffic jams leading to constant honking of vehicle horns, among other things.

The bench -- which has jurisdiction over Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Union Territories of Daman & Diu -- also clarified that use of DJs, crowds, dancing around the marriage venue cannot be treated as "part of any religious function", as claimed by most event organizers.