Pune: Narayan Peth resident Vidyanand Bapat on Tuesday reiterated his call to ban loudspeakers during Ganesh festival, saying amplified sound was not essential to the century-old celebration, a day after PMC officials escorted him out of a Pune Municipal Corporation meeting for raising the same demand.On Monday, Bapat’s demand at a special PMC meeting on Ganesh festival preparations had sparked heated exchanges with mandal workers, prompting officials to escort him out. A video of the incident took social media by storm. “Public Ganesh festival celebrations have been held for around 125 years. Loudspeakers came into use only about 35-40 years ago. They are not an indispensable part of the festival and should be banned because they create a nuisance for citizens,” Bapat told TOI, urging Pune authorities to follow the example of Solapur, where restrictions had been imposed on the use of loudspeakers.Bapat was among few who strongly opposed the use of loudspeakers. Representatives of several mandals demanded unrestricted celebrations, particularly the use of DJ music systems. They said they would avoid plasma systems and lasers but insisted there should be no limits on music speakers. Most elected PMC members, dominated by BJP, also supported allowing loudspeakers.He also argued that changing work patterns had made existing noise regulations outdated. “Pune is an IT hub. People work in US, UK and Australian shifts, and work-from-home culture has expanded significantly. The distinction between residential, commercial and industrial areas has blurred. Noise pollution rules framed in 2000 based on specific timings no longer reflect today’s reality, where many people work round the clock,” Bapat said.“People are free to celebrate festivals publicly, but that should not mean bringing loudspeakers onto roads and public spaces. Celebrations can take place without noise pollution and traffic disruptions,” he said.Bapat said residents of Narayan Peth were particularly affected during the festival as the locality was surrounded by major roads like Laxmi Road, Kelkar Road, Bajirao Road and Tilak Road. “Noise pollution reaches its peak in this area during the Ganesh festival. A ban on loudspeakers would provide much-needed relief not only to us but to many other residents as well,” he said.
