‘Police apathy permitting noise pollution in Pernem’

 Herald, April 6, 2022

Since 2014 no FIR registered by Pernem Police for noise pollution

PERNEM: The lack of interest or willingness of the vast government machinery, especially the police, could be the reason for the noise pollution on the coastal belt going on unabated, alleged the Noise Pollution Monitoring Committee for Pernem Coastal Belt.

As per the directions of the High Court, it is the local police that has to act to curb noise pollution by holding awareness programmes, continuous patrolling and specifically by registering offences against the violators. However, it is learnt that since 2014, there has not been a single FIR registered by Pernem Police against any violator for creating noise pollution.

Speaking to Herald, Noise Pollution Monitoring Committee for Pernem Coastal Belt consisting of Advocate Prasad Shahapurkar and media person Nivrutti Shirodkar said that the duty of the committee is restricted to informing the police about any incidents of loud music and it is the police who have to act on the complaint and investigate it.

“Till date the Pernem Police have not registered any FIR against the violators, except for one or two cases where the police had registered cases against unknown persons, only because they were pressurised,” Shahapurkar said.

He added, “As a committee, our duty is to report the incidents to the police who further need to act. But in 99.9 per cent of the cases, no violator is booked. When we report any incident and by the time police reach the spot, the music is stopped and is restarted after the police leave.”

Shahapurkar said that written and oral complaints have been filed but action from the police is not forthcoming.

He also pointed out that the beat police working on the ground play a major role in such matters because it’s they who ‘manage’ such cases of noise pollution at their level and ensure that when the higher authority, such as the police inspector or sub inspectors, ask them to inquire into a complaint, the beat police ‘manage’ the matter and ensure that it does not reach their higher officials.

Committee member

Shirodkar said that the app through which they report the incidents is not operational since the time of COVID.

Shahapurkar said that the lack of interest by the police is a major concern which is not allowing them to curb noise pollution.

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