PANJIM: In a move which will be welcomed both by the common man and stakeholders, the Pramod Sawant government has announced new rules regarding the use of loudspeakers during festivals, under which loud music has been allowed till midnight for the consecutive eight days from Christmas Eve to the New Year’s Eve and other days (see box).
However, the government has removed the festival days like Holi, Anant Chaturdashi, Kojagiri Purnima, Diwali, the first day of Navaratri, and Tripurari/ Kartiki Purnima from the list of government relaxation granted to the use of loudspeakers or public address systems during the night from 10 pm till midnight.
The Environment department has permitted the use of loudspeakers or public address systems during night hours between 10 pm and midnight, throughout the State on the last day of Carnival (February 21), Easter Eve (April 9), the second and fifth day of Ganesh idol immersion (September 20 and 23), last day of Navaratri (October 23), Diwali eve (November 11) and from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve.
Until last year, the government had permitted the use of loudspeakers or public address systems during night hours from 10 pm to 6 am on 17 occasions.
However, with the Bombay High Court at Goa directing the authorities to act against violators playing loud music beyond 10 pm without permission, the government, in December 2023, amended the relaxation, as per which no loud music beyond 12 am was permitted on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
The department has said that the permission shall be granted only on a case-to-case basis, in response to a specific application made by the concerned Village Panchayat, Municipal Corporation/Municipal Council or an individual in the State.
“The provisions of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, should be strictly complied with; the ‘authority’ concerned shall monitor the noise levels during the permitted festive occasion and other occasions also, and take prompt remedial action in the event of any violation of the same and of above conditions,” the department said.