Nagpur: The daylong standoff between police and organisers of the dahi-handi at Badkas Chowk over playing DJ ended late in the evening when the music did start, but without the throbbing ‘bass’ sound. The evening festivities at the venue went ahead in the presence of senior cops who wanted to make sure there is no violation of the police commissioner’s order against noise pollution.Though commonly the word ‘DJ ban’ is used, technically it is Dolby, plasma and pressure-mid sound systems which are banned. Hence DJs, basically the profession, can still operate as long as they stay below the prescribed sound limits.Police were at the spot with a team which is monitoring noise pollution using proper equipment. “As of now, the music being played is below the maximum threshold. We have ensured the removal of the bass system. Only three speakers are being used, and we have checked the decibel level too,” Nagpur DCP Rahul Madne said.On Thursday, city police issued a notification banning the use of loud music systems, but this came under attack by BJP MLA Pravin Datke who accused cops of being selective. Datke, under whose constituency Badkas Chowk comes, said, “Our stance is clear, DJs and laser lights should not be used anywhere. But if police use decibel levels as their yardstick, why issue circulars only around Hindu festivals and not for others?”Earlier in the day, Badkas Chowk Mitra Parivar’s officiating member Subodh Wankhede, almost in an act of defiance, declared that Janmashtami will be celebrated with the DJ being played.Locals welcomed the move by police, saying that for the first time in many years they were able to enjoy Dahi Handi without the deafening music. “I could talk to my buddies clearly, without having to bare my throat out,” said local Sandip Jain.MPCB regional head Hema Deshpande told TOI that as per protocol, police record the noise level and prepare a preliminary report. “Police then send us the noise sample and the report for archiving. Once that is done, these details are forwarded to our legal team for cross-checking. Only after that the official report from MPCB is admissible,” she said.Deshpande could not commit to an exact timeline for the whole process. Deshpande added that no criminal offence is registered for playing music beyond the permissible level.On complaints of illegally modified vehicles used by DJ operators, a senior RTO official said the department will act against such violations. A fine of Rs2,000 will be imposed for vehicle modification, the official said.A typical Dolby (DJ Setup) is a massive, full-range speaker system that delivers incredibly loud, vibrating bass and complete sound coverage for large crowds, while a pressure mid is a specialised, horn-loaded compression speaker designed to blast crisp, piercing vocals and melodies over long distances so they don’t get drowned out by bass.
