Pune Police Crack Down on High-Decibel Sound Systems Ahead of Ganeshotsav and Dahi Handi
Pune City Police have announced a strict ban on plasma sound systems and pressure mids ahead of the upcoming Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav celebrations. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar warned that violators will face immediate seizure of sound equipment and prosecution under the Noise Pollution Rules.
Key Police Directives & Enforcement Highlights
Equipment Bans: A 100% consensus was reached with stakeholders to ban all plasma speakers and pressure mids that generate uncontrolled noise.
Seizures and Penalties: Police recently seized six high-decibel sound setups during Eid processions. Out of nearly 1,000 sound-level monitoring checks conducted during recent events, cases were registered against 148 setups for decibel violations.
Proposed Speaker Limits: Authorities are evaluating a proposal to cap procession sound systems at a maximum of “4 Base + 4 Top” speakers following discussions with local political leaders, Dahi Handi organizers, and Ganesh mandal representatives.
Institutional Decisions: Commissioner Kumar clarified that police enforcement is strictly legally driven, dismissing claims of individual influence while emphasizing a balanced approach to prevent citizen inconvenience.
State-Level Guidelines for Ganeshotsav 2026
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a law and order review meeting at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai to prepare for Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav 2026. Noting that Ganeshotsav is now designated as an official ‘State Festival,’ Fadnavis urged all administration bodies and mandal coordination committees to preserve the festival’s sanctity through disciplined, safe celebrations.
The Chief Minister directed authorities to streamline single-window permissions, repair immersion route potholes, ensure adequate street lighting, and enforce strict Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards for prasad distribution. He also called for rigorous compliance regarding loudspeaker limits, firecracker safety, structural checks for large idols, and environmental measures to manage Plaster of Paris (PoP) idol immersions. Stay tuned to know more only with us about this or any other news, while do comment your thoughts as under.
