The Hyderabad Police have imposed a ban on using DJ sounds and firecrackers during religious processions in the city. The move is aimed at tackling noise pollution and potential law and order issues.
"The use of the DJ system is harmful to the human body besides causing a lot of noise pollution. Prolonged exposure to the high decibel of sound emanated by these DJ systems is extremely damaging for human health," the police said in a notification.
The decision followed a meeting held with procession organisers, political party representatives, and government officials on September 26.
Citing a recent incident at Charminar, where one generator caught fire during a religious procession, the police noted that such incident could lead to communal tension and law and order issues.
The generator caught fire probably due to sparks from firecrackers. “Luckily, the fire was promptly brought under control and no damage was done. This incident led to rumour mongering and communal tension and the situation could have turned very serious," the notification said.
The police also pointed out the competition among the procession organisers to use bigger and louder DJ systems.
The notification further outlined decibel limits for different zones in the city:
- Industrial areas – 75 dB during the day and 70 dB at night
- Commercial areas – 65 dB during the day and 55 dB at night
- Residential areas – 55 dD during the day and 45 dB at night
- Silence zones (hospitals, schools etc) – 50 dB during the day and 40 dB at night
The police warned that any violation of the new regulations would attract legal actions under the Hyderabad City Police Act and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanita (BNSS), including fines, imprisonment, and the confiscation of sound equipment.