Ranchi: The Ranchi administration has launched a drive against banquet halls in the city that are allegedly flouting sound limits at night during various celebrations.A team of district officials, police personnel and Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board conducted a drive against banquet halls in the city’s Ratu area on Sunday after receiving complaints from residents about loud music and DJ systems being played in the neighbourhood creating disturbance.The team took action in light of complaints regarding the use of DJ music and noise pollution at three banquet halls in Ratu.Sub-divisional officer (SDO), Sadar, Kumar Rajat, who led the drive, said the team did not find any banquet halls flouting the norms on Sunday.“The district administration received complaints of flouting of sound limits during night. So we conducted the inspection after 10 pm. Out of the five halls inspected, no programme was ongoing at two banquet halls. Although a programme was underway at another banquet hall, no noise pollution was detected during the drive,” Rajat added.The SDO further said the administration is going to intensify the drive against banquet halls flouting the sound norms in the days to come.“If we get complaints, we will carry out a drive. If anyone is found flouting the sound limits, action will be taken against the banquet hall owners. All banquet hall owners and managers have been clearly instructed not to use DJ music or high-decibel music after 10 pm and to ensure strict compliance with the Jharkhand high court and noise pollution regulations put in place by the pollution control board,” he added.Rajat said that with the wedding season approaching from April, the drive will be intensified to ensure safe living conditions for residents.The Jharkhand HC had directed the Ranchi administration in Sept 2023 to ban loudspeakers and DJ music after 10 pm in the city. In 2019, the court asked the district administration to set up a task force to deal with violations of noise pollution norms in the city. The court earlier ordered that loudspeakers and DJ should be banned from 10 pm to 6 am in the state capital.
