Ganesh mandals urged to curb noise pollution

Deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Ramrao Pawar today said the police would undertake a special drive to measure the noise level during Ganesh immersion procession.

Addressing a joint meeting of Ganesh mandal leaders, elected members and police officials, called by the Mayor, he said the noise level at all chowks on all the procession routes, where voluntary organisations install pandals to accord a reception to the mandals would also be recorded.

Pawar said out of the 2025 Ganesh mandals in the city, just 942 were registered with the charity commissioner. “Collecting donations without registration is a crime,” he warned and urged the mandals to get themselves registered to avoid possible complications.

Mayor Vatsala Andekar said the corporation would award special prizes to mandals which respond to the appeal and keep volume of loud-speakers low. She said mandals should avoid playing film songs.

She made it clear to mandals that it was not possible for her to accord reception to every Ganesh manadal at Alka chowk during the immersion procession. Often the immersion procession gets delayed as the mandals refuse to proceed further unless they were accorded a welcome by the first citizen.