After two years, Mumbai witnesses noisy Ganpati visarjan

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As Bappa festivities returned to old times, so did the accompanying noise pollution levels. As per NGO Awaaz Foundation, on the final day of Ganeshotsav, Anant Chaturthi, on Friday, noise levels had reached pre-Covid levels.

NGO convener, Sumaira Abdulali said, "Not only was the noise level higher than the previous two years, many mandals and processions continued to play loud music beyond the permissible limit. The NGO also recorded noise levels on Friday and said that the highest noise stood at 120.2 dB, which is as loud as the jet plane which took off near Royal Opera House junction past midnight."

"Music stopped only after my Twitter complaint to the Mumbai police at 12.13 am. At Girgaum Chowpatty, loudspeakers from political pandals continued beyond 1.30 am, despite a personal visit to the police control room at Chowpatty and a Twitter complaint at 1.06 am," Abdulali said. Awaaz Foundation has been measuring noise levels from various sources since 2003.

As per their data, in 2021, on the last visarjan day, the highest noise level was recorded at 93.1 dB, in 2020 it was 100.7 dB and in 2019 it was 121.3 dB. The highest-ever noise level was recorded in 2015 (123.7 dB) followed by 2013 (123.2 dB). Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, limits noise levels at 55 dB for residential areas in the day and 45 dB during the night.