Agartala, July 18 (IANS) The Tripura High Court has directed the state government and the pollution control board to implement the law regulating noise pollution or face action for contempt.
"We make it clear that failure of state government and the Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) to implement orders will have to be taken seriously," the court said, having taken a suo motu notice of the growing noise pollution in the state.
A division bench of the Tripura High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice T. Vaiphei and Justice Subhashish Talapatra asked all district magistrates on July 15 to form a committee headed by each of them to monitor noise pollution and take counter-measures in accordance with the law.
The court asked the district level committees to sit at least twice in a year -- in the first week of January before the start of examinations and the first week of August before the festival season.
The court said pressure/multi-tone horns of vehicles and any other sound producing device which give an unduly harsh, shrill, loud or alarming noise are totally banned in Tripura.
The government should ensure that there is no violation of the concerned provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, it said.
"Under no circumstances will loudspeakers or other sound making instruments be permitted within a radius of 100 metres aerial distance from any school, college, hospitals, court or office," the court said.
The authorities must take stern action like seizure of the equipment which is used for noise pollution.
"Once that equipment is seized, it shall not be released without obtaining orders of the concerned magistrate. In case of the second offence by any owner or supplier of the equipment, the equipment shall not be released till orders are obtained from the High Court."
The Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPO) should take necessary action under the overall supervision and control of the district magistrate of the concerned district, the court said.
"It is apparent that the district magistrate has been made responsible for purpose of supervision and control in terms of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, by the State," the court added.
Tripura State Pollution Control Board Chairman Amitabha Deb Roy told IANS that they will abide by the direction of the high court to check noise pollution in Tripura.
