This story is from June 16, 2016

When those beats are pulsating headaches

​​Every day, the police say they get over 250 complaints about noise in the neighbourhood. During the marriage or festival seasons, the number of such complaints doubles.
When those beats are pulsating headaches
​​Every day, the police say they get over 250 complaints about noise in the neighbourhood. During the marriage or festival seasons, the number of such complaints doubles.
NEW DELHI: On February 22, Hardeep Singh, a video editor formerly employed with a TV news channel, was dragged out of his room in south Delhi’s Kishangarh, near Vasant Kunj, and shot dead. The 30-yearold paid with his life for protesting against the loud music being played in a gym in the basement of the building.
Every day, the police say they get over 250 complaints about noise in the neighbourhood.
During the marriage or festival seasons, the number of such complaints doubles. This is in spite of the Supreme Court banning in 2005 any loud music or noisy functions between 10pm and 6am, emphasising that no loudspeaker would be allowed after 10 pm.
Police say they respond to noise complaints promptly and often seize the audio equipment. Residents, however, have a different story. For instance, Varinder K Arora, a member of the Delhi Residents’ Forum who lives in Kiran Vihar in east Delhi, says, “In most cases involving in-house or terrace parties, police come, warn the revellers and go away. The music continues to play.”
He adds that those who make a noise about the din are branded antisocial Sometimes, as in the case of Singh, the retaliation is much worse than hot words. In N Block of Greater Kailash and in Kailash Colony, both in south Delhi, residents claim the only way to avoid confrontations is by tolerating the racket. While the police can’t do much other than seize the audio gear, some action is usually taken when a person reports being threatened or assaulted by someone for have asked them to lower the volume or remove an illegally installed sound system.
“Police have to act as per the law to ensure public safety and to ensure laws aren’t fl outed,” said an offi cer. “We also request the authorities to follow the norms while permitting weddings or religious processions. It is important to ensure that sentiments aren’t hurt.”
To add to the woes of the people, and the police, a new method of assaulting the aural faculties is emerging. As Rajiv Kakri, member of the Greater Kailash I RWA, points out, “Young people go out in the middle of the night with loud music playing in their cars.” Experts say noise pollution can only be curbed with mass-scale sensitisation among the people. It is important to point out the deleterious effects of noise.
“Noise, like polluted air, has a huge impact on our wellbeing, and on brain development in children,” warns Dr Deepak Natarajan, an interventional cardiologist. Endless noise, he points out, has also been linked to increased incidence of heart attacks and high blood pressure. A polluted and a raucous city is a double jeopardy.
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