The Gujarat High Court has directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to monitor sound levels for three days at a Navratri garba venue in Veraval’s designated silent zone and submit a revised report after taking corrective measures where necessary.
The direction was issued during the hearing of a public interest petition concerning alleged noise pollution at the venue in Gir Somnath district. The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manas Ranjan and Justice Nikhil Kariel asked the authorities to place the sound-level data from the next three days before the court.
The court also said that if the noise was found to be intolerable, it should be reduced or the activity should be stopped. It suggested practical measures such as changing the direction of loudspeakers and lowering the volume.
During the hearing, the government submitted that the sound readings cited by the petitioners had been recorded on a mobile phone and did not appear to comply with prescribed measurement procedures. The government lawyer said there was an 18-decibel difference between readings taken on a mobile phone and those recorded using a sound meter.
According to the submissions reported before the court, sound levels at the site had exceeded 60 decibels, compared with a prescribed level of 45 decibels. However, GPCB data indicated that sound levels at the same location were also above 60 decibels when garba events were not being held. The authorities pointed to the site’s proximity to a highway and the sea as possible sources of background noise.
The proceedings also considered the nature of activity around the venue. Street-level garba events were reportedly held nearby without sound systems, although traditional musical instruments were used. The court’s direction therefore places the focus on measured sound exposure at the site rather than on the mere presence of a festival event.
Two petitioners approached the High Court over the organisation of garba in the silent zone. They clarified that they were not opposed to garba events but had raised concerns about the location and the disturbance caused. Following an inspection of the venue, GPCB issued a notice to the organisers asking them to comply with applicable rules and submitted its report to the court.
The board also placed before the court a 2000 notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests governing the use of loudspeakers and public address systems at public and private locations. Under the guidelines cited in the proceedings, organisers must obtain prior permission from the district magistrate or police commissioner. Sound systems are also not permitted to be used at night.
The court has now asked GPCB to collect and submit three days of sound-level data from the garba venue, along with details of improvements made after the earlier report. The next report will determine whether further reductions or restrictions are required at the site.
