DM bid to check sound pollution

Patna: Even as pandal hoppers readied to throng the city roads on the Mahasaptami of Navaratra, Patna

DM

Sanjay Agarwal on Saturday directed the police and magistrates on duty to ensure puja organisers, especially those near hospital premises, played loudspeakers in low volume. They have also been asked to see to it that fire-safety measures are in place at each pandal.

This newspaper on Saturday morning carried a news report on the few puja pandals fitted with loudspeakers that have come up near hospitals. They include one right on the PMCH premises and one adjacent to its gate besides a few near the IGIMS. This despite the fact that rules do not allow use of loudspeakers within 100m radius of no-sound zones like hospitals.

A TOI news report on Friday highlighted only 36 of the 320 puja samitis in Patna sadar area had submitted an undertaking that they were adhering to fire-safety norms.

The DM’s other directives include ensuring immersion of idols on Tuesday. Routes of immersion processions should not interfere with those of Tajia processions and vice versa, the directives read.

Muharram processions are scheduled to be taken out on Wednesday.