UP Bans Loudspeakers

The newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday issued a directive prohibiting the use of loudspeakers at religious places beyond permissible decibel levels. It was the first order issued by Yadav who took oath of office earlier in the morning, additional chief secretary (home) Dr Rajesh Rajora told PTI. Guidelines for the use of loudspeakers, based on the orders of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal, were also issued for immediate implementation, he said. A flying squad will be constituted in each district to monitor the sound levels of loudspeakers and DJ systems playing music at religious places, the official said.

Over 3,000 loudspeakers or sound amplifiers installed at public and religious places in Uttar Pradesh were found to be violating prescribed norms, and were removed on Monday, a senior official said. As part of a month-long campaign against loudspeakers, 61,399 loud speakers were checked from 5 am to 7 am in all the districts on Monday, the official said. The campaign is being carried out in accordance with directives of the state government between November 23 to December 23. In a statement, Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said 3,238 loudspeakers or sound amplifiers operating against the norms or beyond the prescribed decibel limit were removed from public or religious places. The DGP said decibel limit of 7,288 loudspeakers or amplifiers were reduced to bring it at par with the norms. Kumar said that people violating the noise limit set by the police were given a notice warning them of strict action for any future violations. Last year in April,

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said loudspeakers are being reinstalled at religious places in some districts months after they were ordered to be removed, a development he described as "unacceptable". According to a government statement, he asked officials to take appropriate action through "immediate contact and communication" with people. Adityanath, who reviewed law and order situation in the state in a meeting with officials from all levels on Friday night, also directed them to make arrangements for peaceful Christmas celebrations, but ensure no religious conversion takes place. "A few months ago... we had completed an unprecedented process of removing loudspeakers from religious places. Giving priority to the larger public interest, people spontaneously removed loudspeakers. It was appreciated all over the country," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the statement. He further said that during his recent visits he "experienced that these loudspeakers

The UP police said it has removed 53,942 loudspeakers from religious places in the state so far following an Allahabad HC order, and has set to permissible limits the volume levels of over 60,200 more

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered for removal of illegal loudspeakers from religious places in the state, a senior official said on Monday.

The state government also issued detailed directives on the use of permanently installed loudspeakers at these places