Noise pollution rising during Ganesh festival over the years

Noise levels have been consistently rising over the last decade.

Noise pollution during the Ganesh festival has continued to increase over the years despite better public awareness.
While improved technology has ensure that loudspeakers that are easily available and are relatively cheap, traditional instruments like dhol tasha and pakhwaj have come to dominate the festival over the last few years. This has added to the rising decibel levels, experts from College of Engineering Pune (COEP), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and officials from Pune Municipal Corporation said.

According to noise pollution rules, the permissible decibel levels during the day is 50dB in silence zones and 55 dB in residential areas. This year, the MPCB plans to monitor nearly 20 locations during the Ganesh festival.

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Dr Mahesh Shindikar, member of the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority and assistant professor of applied sciences at COEP, along with his team will monitor noise levels at various points on Laxmi Road on the last day of the Ganesh festival while MPCB will monitor the locations during the last five days of the festival.

Noise levels have been consistently rising over the last decade. The festival was noisiest in 2013, when average reading showed levels as high as 114.4 decibels, according to data from COEP. From 2001 till 2014, the COEP has been monitoring noise levels on the concluding day of the festival – during the immersion procession – and has found average noise levels ranging between 90 and 100 dB, Dr Shindikar said.

However, Mahesh Suryavanshi, treasurer of Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust, said there had been a strict implementation of rules and even mandals had been cooperating. There are at least 250 dhol tasha groups and we have requested Ganesh mandals to allow practice sessions just three weeks ahead of the Ganesh festival that commences on September 17, he said.

Shrikant Pathak, DCP (special branch), said, “Each police station has been told to conduct regular checks and file cases if noise levels exceed permissible limits.”

Meanwhile, Sumaira Abdulali, convenor of Awaaz Foundation, has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure that measures are taken by the state to comply with decibel limits. Awaaz Foundation has requested residents to keep them informed on decibel levels (which can now be recorded on any smartphone) and effectiveness of police complaints/action. A dedicated Facebook page Citizens’ Noise Map allows interaction between complainants and overall monitoring of the implementation of court orders.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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