Ref: SM/Sound/2016 Dated: 16.11.2016
People’s Convention, on Right to Silence,
In Memory of Late Justice Bhagabatiprashad Bandopadhaya
Bhagabatiprashad Bandopadhaya Mancha
(Lion’s Club Hall, Deshapriyo Park, Sarat Basu Road,)
3rd December, 2016, Saturday, 3 pm to 7pm.
Dear friends,
Please accept our heartiest festive greetings. You are aware that Sabuj Mancha has been playing an important role in highlighting critical environmental issues in public domain in state and also acting as a pressure group with government. We are carrying on the movement against violation of environment issues, despite of all odds. It is a fact that our organization is constantly struggling against Sound Pollution since 2009.
Especially during the Festival Days sound pollution generated from firecrackers and DJ Sound box becomes terribly unbearable. Till now seven persons were killed and several others were brutally manhandled and assaulted by miscreants while they protested illegal firecracker bursting. It is clearly mentioned in Sound Regulation Act, that the manufacturing, selling and bursting firecracker of sound beyond 90 dB (A) impulse noise from 5 meters is illegal and maximum sound of microphone should be 65 dB (A). Moreover, firecracker bursting and use of microphone is illegal in silence zones like Hospitals, Health centers, Old age Homes, Educational Institutions etc. This year also Citizens experienced unprecedented violation of sound norms during the Kalipuja and Diwali in presence of Law enforcement and implementing authority, on the other hand West Bengal Pollution Control Board authority remained as silent spectator. Our control room received various complaints till late night and our monitoring team witnessed gross violation of sound norms across the city both on Kalipuja and Diwali nights. Even in silence zones, as apparently, there were no restriction in busting crackers causing thereby trouble to patients, children and old aged people. It was reported that this year among the metropolitan cities Kolkata was the noisiest during Dewali.
However, a few environment activists expressed their satisfaction in both print and electronic media regarding Govt. action and role of West Bengal Pollution Control Board against Sound Pollution during the Kalipuja and Diwali. Our experience is different; we do not agreed with their opinion and condemn the administration and WBPCB for their inefficiency to curb sound pollution and failure to be proactive to stop manufacturing and selling of illegal fireworks.
In view of the above we have organized a People’s Convention, on Right of Silence in Memory of Late Justice Bhagabatiprashad Bandopadhaya at Lion’s Club Hall, Deshapriyo Park, Sarat Basu Road, on 3rd December, 2016, Saturday, 3 pm to 7pm.
You are cordially invited to participate in the Convention and your presence will be highly solicited.
With Regards
Naba Dutta,
Secretary Sabuj Mancha
Program Co-coordinators: Dr. Biplab Basu ( 9831636817); Manindra Mukherjee( 9635912049).