Pune: In a landmark ruling, a court in Kolhapur on Friday sentenced four office-bearers of a local Ganesh mandal to one year’s imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹15,000 each for violating noise pollution norms by playing a loud DJ during the Ganeshotsav festival.
Kolhapur court sentenced four office-bearers of Ganesh mandal to one year’s imprisonment and imposed fine of ₹15,000 each for violating DJ noise pollution norms. (Shutterstock (PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))
The verdict was delivered by Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Pankaj Rajput, concluding a case filed in connection with excessive sound levels during the 2016 Ganeshotsav celebrations.
The four convicted office-bearers belong to Ganesh Tarun Mandal in Rajaram Puri and were identified as Yogesh Deepak Mohite (president), Kunal Hitendra Patil (vice-president), Indrajit Sarjerao Naik Nimbalkar (secretary), and Pankaj Shrirang Chougule (treasurer).
The case dates back to 2016, when Kolhapur city police, under then deputy superintendent of police Bharatkumar Rane, registered a complaint against the mandal for installing a sound system that violated prescribed noise limits during the immersion procession.
During the trial, the prosecution presented police evidence, witness testimonies, and expert sound-level measurements, which showed that the DJ system significantly exceeded the permissible limits set under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
According to the court order, if the fine amount is not paid, they will have to undergo an additional one month of imprisonment. The court also granted them the option to seek bail from a higher court on furnishing a cash deposit of ₹15,000 each along with a guarantor.