A three-member committee today told the Bombay High Court that Shiv Sena had violated noise pollution rules and damaged cricket pitches at Shivaji Park during its annual Dussehra rally.
The High Court had on October 9, while granting permission to the political party to hold the rally, directed for a committee to be formed to monitor the event and if there was any violation of the rules and conditions.
The committee, comprising Deputy Commissioner of police (Zone V), Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone II) and a representative of NGO Wecom Trust, was directed to monitor sound decibel levels at Shivaji Park two hours prior to the rally, during the rally and two hours after the rally.
In its report submitted today before a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha, the committee said Sena had violated noise pollution rules and the noise levels were above permitted decibel level.
The report added the party had not used distributed sound system around the ground as directed by the High Court and that a case has been registered by the local police for violation of the rules.
According to the report, while the political party had put up ropes restricting people from entering the cricket pitches, the crowd sat on the pitches causing damages to it. The pitches were not restored to its original condition by the organiser of the rally, the report said.
The High Court today directed for a copy of the reportm to be submitted to the political party and adjourned the hearing on the matter after Diwali vacation.
Sena was granted permission to hold the rally after the court observed that it was not a "political rally but a socio- cultural function."
The order granting permission came despite an order of the same bench passed last year directing the political party to look for alternative ground in the future as Shivaji Park falls under silence zone area.
For any function or rally to be held at Shivaji Park, the concerned party has to approach the High Court for permission. The area was declared silence zone on a PIL filed by Wecom Trust.
