Pune’s noise pollution controversy has intensified after the Loudspeaker Virodhi Punekar Manch alleged that political interference, police inaction and negligence by the Pune Municipal Corporation allowed sound levels during the Ganesh immersion procession to reach dangerous levels. The group called for the mayor to publicly apologise to Pune residents.
The allegations were made at a press conference by forum member Mukund Kirdat, hearing specialist Dr Kalyani Mandke, Dr Rahul Sawant, Ashok Mehendale and Ashish Gunjal. The speakers discussed what they described as the factors responsible for excessive noise during the procession and the role of the police, municipal administration and political intervention in exposing residents to the impact.
According to Kirdat, enforcing the prescribed noise regulations is the responsibility of the police commissioner and the municipal commissioner. He alleged that both authorities failed to act effectively during the festival. The forum also said the municipal commissioner was required to identify 100-metre silence zones around hospitals and install signs marking those areas, but failed to do so.
The group further alleged that political statements supporting an unrestricted celebration weakened the enforcement of noise controls. Kirdat referred to statements by Dheeraj Ghatge and other Bharatiya Janata Party leaders calling for a celebration without restrictions. The report did not include a response from the leaders named in the allegation or from the mayor and municipal commissioner.
The forum contrasted the Pune police response with action taken by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police. It said Pimpri-Chinchwad police seized DJ equipment at the beginning of the festivities, while Pune police did not take similarly strong action. The comparison highlights the differing enforcement approaches across the two neighbouring urban jurisdictions.
The group also said complaints had been recorded about sound levels reaching up to 120 decibels during the celebrations. The figure was presented at the press conference as part of the forum’s allegations; the supplied report did not include an independent measurement record or a response from the authorities confirming the level.
Noise regulation during large public festivals places responsibilities on multiple agencies, including the police and the municipal corporation. For residents, the issue extends beyond temporary inconvenience: enforcement determines whether designated silence zones remain functional and whether hospitals and nearby neighbourhoods receive protection during high-intensity public events.
The supplied report did not specify whether the Pune municipal administration or police had ordered a review, released measurement data or announced action following the complaints. It also did not record a response from the mayor. The next step remains clarification from the concerned authorities on the alleged sound levels, enforcement measures and the status of silence-zone markings around hospitals.