October 09, 2001

‘30’

SUPREME COURT ISSUES INTERIM ORDERS RESTRICTING USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS & FIRE CRACKERS

    Hon’ble Supreme Court has restricted the use of fire crackers and high volume-producing sound systems in view of the forthcoming Dussehra & Diwali festivals and with a view to prevent accidents and to control noise pollution.

    The apex Court issued the following interim instructions in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 72/1998: -

  1. The Union Government, the Union Territories as well as all the State Governments shall take steps to strictly comply with Notification No. G.S.R. 682(E) dated October 05, 1999, whereby the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 were amended. They shall in particular comply with amended Rule 89 of the said Rules, which reads as follows:-

    "89. Noise standards for fire-crackers:-

A.(I) The manufacture, sale or use of fire-crackers generating noise level exceeding 125 db (AI) or 145 db(C) pk at 4 meters distance from the point of bursting shall be prohibited.

(II) For individual fire-crackers constituting the series (joined fire-crackers), the above- mentioned limit be reduced by 5 log 10(N) db, where N=number of crackers joined together."

(2) The use of fire works or fire-crackers shall not be permitted except between 6.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m. No fire works or fire-crackers shall be used between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.

  1. Fire-crackers shall not be used at any time in silence zones, as defined in s.o. 1046 (E)_ issued on 22.11.2000 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. In the said Notification Silence Zone has been defined as:

    2. "Silence Zone is an area comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions, courts, religious places or any other area which is declared as such by the competent authority."

  2. The State Education Resource Centres in all the States and the Union Territories as well as the management/principals or schools in all the States and Union Territories shall take appropriate steps to educate students about the ill-effects of air and noise pollution and apprise them of directions (1) to (3) above.

    This order shall not imply any restriction on the Union Government, the Union Territories or the State Governments in case they wish to further reduce the noise levels, if so advised.