The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday directed officials to strictly prohibit loud noise at weddings, marriages and other functions after 10 pm, citing the inconvenience caused to the general public, including children and the elderly.
The court directed the state and police authorities concerned, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Lucknow Development Authority to take appropriate action in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order.
The court ordered the commissioners of all 18 divisions and all district magistrates to survey parks, playgrounds and open spaces in their respective areas and include them in the government list. It has sought the compliance report from the respondent authorities on the next date of hearing.
A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla passed the order on a public interest litigation filed by one Dharampal Yadav. The petitioner sought a ban on the commercial use of the city’s Janeshwar Mishra Park.
Earlier, the court had directed all divisional commissioners, district magistrates, and other authorities in the state to prepare a list of parks, playgrounds, and open spaces and include them in the government list prepared under the Uttar Pradesh Parks, Playgrounds, and Open Spaces Preservation and Regulation Act, 1975. The court also directed them to submit complete details of such spaces.
During the hearing on Monday, the court also took cognizance of the public problem of loud noise during commercial and social activities in parks, playgrounds and open spaces. It said that as per Section 6 of the Act, listed parks, playgrounds or open spaces cannot be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which they were being used immediately before the Act came into force in 1975, unless prior permission is obtained from the prescribed authority.
‘LDA should reconsider commercial activities in parks’
The high court has directed the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to reconsider the use of parks, playgrounds and open spaces, including Janeshwar Mishra Park, for commercial activities.
The court noted that such activities affect birds and other animals in parks and are also detrimental to the environment. The court directed effective measures to curb noise levels in functions, particularly those occurring in parks and residential areas of the city, which exceed the permissible limits.
