THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fearing religious backlash, local bodies across the state have refused to implement the directive of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to demarcate 'silence zones', where sounds above 50 decibels will not be allowed. Local bodies have generally ignored the circular issued by the state Environment Department, based on the MoEF directive, because it would mean they would have to mark religious places as “silence zones”. During festivals, the noise level around temples, churches and mosques shoot up to over 100 decibels. If explosives are used, it would cross 200 decibels. The state Environment Department circular, issued in early 2016, directed the local bodies to identify and demarcate ‘silence zones’ and put up boards indicating the permissible noise levels.
The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, has included religious places in its definition of a ‘silence zone’. The proposed zone is an area comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions, religious places and courts. A senior local self government department official said that the MoEF directive could provoke a religious backlash. “If the 'silence zone' policy is implemented, all religious institutions will have to find out new ways to conduct their festivals,” the official said.
“But since religious places and their rituals are part of our heritage, demarcating religious areas as silence zones will be seen as an encroachment into spiritual rights,” he added. The Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur, for instance, had been marked as a ‘silence zone’ in 2008 but the noise limits in the 100 metres around the ground are often violated with impunity. “The fact is, none of the local bodies in the state has made any move to demarcate silence zones,” the official added. Leave alone ‘panchavadyams’ or ritual fireworks, even the blaring of songs from loudspeakers will be prohibited once the area is declared a ‘silence zone’.
