The Inside story of how the system allows sound pollution to fuel nightlife, from an officer who’s seen it all

Mapusa: Though there are strict noise pollution related regulations in place, but these are hardly implemented by the Goa Police, which is the key authority for curbing noise pollution.

 Kapil Phadte, who was appointed as Deputy Collector of Bardez in January 2021 and later transferred, was the nodal officer to check sound related irregularities said, “I used to receive number of noise pollution complaints and accordingly, the police were directed to act against the offenders. However I never received proper cooperation from the police especially the then police inspectors of Anjuna and Calangute police station, who have a major role to play in this issue,” Phadte said.

 Phadte said that the meters that they were given by the magistrate were of no caliber while there is need for standard operating procedure to uproot this issue. No calibrated meter which were faulty whom anyone 

can challenge in court is one of the backlog. Also, there are no standard operating procedure to follow. Another problem that I faced that I never received cooperation from police. There are violations to the act but if the meter that we were given to measure the sound had caliber.. (we could have checked)”, Phadte said.

 According to the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000 the Supreme Court had directed that there shall be a complete ban on bursting of sound emitting firecrackers between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m, The peripheral noise level of privately owned sound system shall not exceed more than 5 dB(A) than the Ambient Air Quality Standard specified for the area in which it is used, at the boundary of the private place. 

Police are duty bound to enforce noise pollution rules but do not

To implement these directions, the police who are the one of the main acting authorities, are duty bound to enforce the Noise Pollution rules. Violators shall face confiscation of the offending equipment as well as per provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 which may extend to imprisonment up to One Year or fine up to one lakh rupees or both.

As per directions of the High Court, every police station shall maintain a separate register for noting complaints of Noise Pollution. The Police Inspector In-charge of every police station shall submit monthly reports to the Superintendent of police North and South respectively of all the complaints received complaining about noise pollution and sound violators, along with the names and address of the violator, and action taken on the same.

When complaint is made by a citizen the police attending the call should disclose his full name and designation at the time of attending the call and record full details of the noise pollution i.e. location of the place where the alleged violation is taking place.

It is also further learnt that permission required for more than seven days a month, at any location for use of loudspeakers /Public address system or sound producing machinery in open air in residential areas, a letter of consent from the Goa State Pollution Control under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is made mandatory by the Collector & District Magistrate, North Goa however hardly any establishment obtain this permission.