Police will follow SOP on noise pollution complaints: State to HC

Affidavit was submitted by the State Director-General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood

The State government on Friday told the Karnataka High Court that a standard operating procedure (SOP) will be followed by the police to initiate action in cases of complaints of noise pollution.

In an affidavit, the State Director-General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood said that the station house officer (SHO), who receives a complaint of noise pollution from a citizen, shall immediately transmit the summery of the complaint to the officer or the authorities authorised to make a complaint in this regard in the jurisdictional court.

Further, the SHO will immediately request the nearest/jurisdictional Regional Environmental Officer (or the Deputy Superintendent of Police, once the noise decibel meters are acquired by the Police Department), any other authorised officer, to reach (along with said SHO) the location, where the noise rules are being violated, and ensure that reading of the noise level is recorded on the noise decibel meters and the noise emitting device is turned off, the State Police Chief has stated.

The affidavit was submitted before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar during the hearing of a PIL petition complaining about noise pollution by pubs, bars and restaurants in Indiranagar.

The SOP was prepared as the court had earlier pointed out that the police lack awareness on initiating action on complaints of noise pollution.

Also, the SHO will have to draw up a mahazar along with the Regional Environmental Officer or the authorised officer, serve a copy of the same on the owner of the land, shut down the device which caused pollution and seize the noise causing equipment, if the SHO apprehends that the use of such noise pollutant could be repeated.

The SHO, the affidavit stated, within a reasonable time, would prepare a detailed report and enclose a copy of the mahazar, and forward the report to the authorised officer with a request to take immediate steps to prosecute the offenders under provisions of the Environmental Protection (EP) Act, 1985.

On failure of the authorised officer to take action as contemplated in the EP Act within a period of 60 days from the date of receipt of report, the SHO is required to prepare a complaint on his own and submit in the jurisdictional court seeking permission to prosecute the officer, it has been explained in the affidavit.