Mumbai: Amid the Azan row, the Karnataka government issued new guidelines on Tuesday and banned the use of loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am in the state except in closed premises like auditoriums, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls.
State Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar on Monday issued a notice to Additional Chief Secretary Javed Akhtar after a meeting with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The chief secretary said in the notice that those who wish to use loudspeakers will have to obtain written permission from the “designated authority” within 15 days.
It said, “Those who do not receive, they should be voluntarily removed or removed by the designated authority.”
Kumar also directed that a committee be formed at various levels to regulate the use of loudspeakers or a public address system in the state.
“This is applicable to all premises which are using loudspeakers and public address system. Necessary government orders or instructions will be issued to all concerned to implement this with immediate effect,” the note said.
The circular issued by the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department has cited the permissible decibel level for residential areas as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
The development comes after some right-wing groups, including Sriram Sena, Bajrang Dal, and Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, organised a pre-dawn bhajan-keertan on Monday to counter the azan from mosques.
(With PTI Inputs)
Follow us on Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and interesting stories.
