2 Ganesh mandals booked for sound pollution during visarjan

Pune police on Saturday booked office bearers of two Ganesh mandals and loudspeaker operators in Dhankawadi for allegedly causing a violation of noise norms during the Ganesh visarjan procession.

Two separate FIRs were lodged at Sahkarnagar police station against presidents of Shri Akhil Gurudatta Tarun Mandal and Shivtirth Mitra Mandal in Balaji Nagar, Dhankawadi. They were booked under sections 222, 285, 289, 292, and 293 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, sections of the Environment (Protection) Act and Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules.

Police said the two mandals used loudspeakers during the immersion procession on September 17 evening in the Balaji Nagar area without essential permissions and created huge noise, causing distress to citizens. Police have also booked the persons who operated the loudspeakers at the visarjan procession of the two mandals.

Police said the mandals and loudspeakers operators allegedly refused to accept the notice issued to them for not crossing the noise levels prescribed under the law.