Ganesh Utsav: If playing loudspeakers at high volume is harmful, then it is harmful during Eid too… High Court said this

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that if playing loudspeakers at a volume higher than a certain level during Ganesh Utsav is harmful, then it has the same effect during Eid. The court said that just like Ganesh Utsav, playing loud loudspeakers is also wrong during Eid-Milad-un-Nabi processions. A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar made this remark while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) requesting a ban on the use of ‘DJ’, ‘laser lights’ etc. during Eid-Milad-un-Nabi processions.

The PILs claimed that neither the Quran nor the Hadith (religious books) mention the use of DJ systems and laser lights. The bench referred to the order passed last month, just before the Ganesh festival, which stressed on banning the use of sound systems and loudspeakers emitting noise above the limit mentioned under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 during festivals.

Petitioners’ counsel Owais Pechkar urged the court to add Eid to its earlier order, to which the bench said it was not required as the order mentioned ‘public festival’. Disposing of the petitions, the court said, “If it is harmful on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, it is harmful on Eid as well.” On the use of laser lights, the bench asked the petitioners to show scientific evidence about the harmful effects of such lights on humans.

The bench said that proper research should be done before filing such petitions. The judges said, “Why did you not do research? Unless it is scientifically proven that it causes harm to humans, how can we decide on such an issue? The bench said the petitioners should assist the courts in giving effective directions. The high court said, “That is the problem. Before filing a PIL, you should do basic research. You should assist the court in giving effective directions. We are not experts. We don’t even know the ‘L’ of laser.”