Team Herald
MARGAO: The ban on loud music beyond 10 pm will not affect the upcoming Christmas Mass and other religious activities since religious programmes generate low sound levels, Minister for Environment Nilesh Cabral said on Monday.
Speaking to the reporters at Margao Cabral said, “Midnight service and other religious activities that are conducted generate low sound levels and the High Court is not monitoring the loud music issue pertaining to religious activities. There is no need to take permission for sound to conduct the religious activities.
Cabral said he is doing follow ups with the concerned authorities, including with the Union Ministry in order to change the rule pertaining to the loud music.
He also said that the letter on the issue written by Benaulim MLA to the Chief Minister is totally a political stunt.
“Religious activities, including the midnight masses, have been held for the last several centuries and there is no point that the ban on loud music will affect such activities. The Church is free to conduct their religious activities and midnight masses because they are held on permissible limits,” said Cabral.
Stating that there is a huge confusion in the society pertaining to the directions given by the High Court on loud music, he said the laws are not done by the present government.
He informed that instructions have been given to all the nodal agencies to monitor the sound.
“What the High Court is monitoring is nuisance caused by noise emanating from the parties, wherein the loud music is played beyond permissible limits and causes hardships to the people,” he added.
The minister further said that people’s sentiments will be taken into consideration at the time of bringing changes in the laws with regard to loud music, but presently there is no reason to stop the Church or religious activities.
He also informed that all the issues pertaining to the sewage in Salcete will be resolved by May 2023.
“All the works of repairing the sewage network will be completed very soon”, said Cabral.
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Mickey Pacheco ‘shocked’ over silence of Catholic MLAs
MARGAO: Expressing shock over silence from all the MLAs, especially from Catholic community with regard to ban of loud music after 10 pm, former tourism Minister Micky Pacheco on Monday demanded withdrawal of the notification issued on December 15 and instead implement the notification of 2007, which allows playing loud music upto to 6 am during festivals.
Addressing the reporters, he also demanded that relaxation for the Christmas, New Year and Carnival celebrations be given till 6 am, instead of 10pm.
He also feels that this ban on loud music till 10 pm will affect the tourism activities in the state of Goa.
Pointing out the notification issued in 2007, wherein 17 dates were marked including Christmas for relaxation on the usage of loud music, Pacheco said that the State government needed to come out with the law on the issue at the earliest and should not point fingers at the central government.
