The wife of a senior official of the state pollution control board has recently written to the board chairman and member-secretary, complaining about serial noise violations at their residential complex in Howrah and alleging harassment and threats for protesting. The ordeal, she feared, will be repeated on New Year’s Eve.
The complaint letter, a copy of which is with The Plurals, has also been forwarded to the police commissioner of Howrah and chairman of the Howrah Municipal Corporation.
The noise law allows only green fireworks to be burst for 35 minutes, between 11.55pm and 12.30am, on New Year’s Eve; while high-decibel musical instruments and even microphones must be fitted with sound limiters and are not allowed post 10pm unless there is a public emergency.
Scared and unsafe
Piyali Datta Chakraborty, a resident of Bhawani Twin Towers in Golabari, Howrah, has alleged that she was harassed by the violators, who used “abusive language” when she and her husband, senior PCB official Dhiman Chakrabarty, reported a noise violation a few months ago, leading to police intervention.
The violators, Piyali alleged, tried to malign her husband by launching false allegations. “I am really feeling scared and unsafe after being threatened by a group of people residing here,” the scientist wrote.
Debarati Mukhopadhyay, another government official, writer and resident of the same complex, also pointed out how DJ nights flouting noise norms have become a routine affair in the area.
“This is to inform you that this year 31st night (whole night) they have planned to arrange open air DJ party in the society premises,” reads the letter from Piyali, adding that “in the society WhatsApp group they (violators) are adamantly and arrogantly throwing challenge that this 31 st night they will celebrate at the fullest with open air DJ party… with firecrackers.”
“If anybody does not (able to) tolerate the sound they (are) advised to use ear plugs and also added that if anyone wants to protest, they will simply assault him,” further reads the complaint.
“Sir, my humble question to the administration, … (should) we, the law abiding educated people, continue tolerating such nuisance and finally making it a habit,” asked the complainant urging to take necessary actions against the violators.
This reporter has received some WhatsApp screenshots being circulated among the building residents, The Plurals has not checked the veracity of the messages and hence refrains from mentioning the names of the persons linked to the messages that are clearly threatening in nature. “New Year party hoga jisko problem hai wo apne ear mein ear buds laga le (New Year party will take place; those having problems can put ear-buds in their ears),” reads one message and threatens that “bahut bura hoga (the consequences will be very bad)” if anybody dares to complain.
Administration evasive, activists protest
While a WhatsApp message to state PCB chairman Kalyan Rudra and member secretary Rajesh Kumar remained unanswered, the in-charge of Golabari police station, who clearly seemed to know about the violation pattern in the housing complex, said the police would take action in case of any violation on New Year’s Eve.
“You know that the onus of taking action in this matter, as per law, lies with the police and the PCB. However, I am taking up the issue with the local police station,” said Sujoy Chakraborty, chairman of the Board of Administrators (BOA) at the Howrah Municipal Corporation.
“This is a common problem in several housing complexes, including mine, during Christmas and New Year’s Eve; but unlike in this case, most do not dare to come out in the open and complain as they will have to continue staying in those complexes. If a PCB official cannot save him or his family from such noise menace, we can well understand the plight of the common people. We strongly condemn the incident and demand that police and PCB should act at the earliest as per the legal provisions,” said Naba Dutta, secretary of green platform Sabuj Mancha.
The PCB released a circular before Puja, clearly spelling out the existing noise norms, including a blanket ban on open-air DJ music; “ … no Disc Jockey Set (DJ)/ Hi – pitch sound box to be used in open air …” .