Monitor News Bureau
Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in UP has banned the unauthorised use of loudspeakers at religious and public spaces across the state.
The state government on Sunday directed the police to remove loudspeakers installed at religious places by January 20.
The move comes after the Allahabad high cou-rt ordered the removal of loudspeakers from religious places, in an attempt to curb increasing noise pollution.
In December 2017, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had sought replies from the state government and the UP Pollution Control Board on the alleged misuse of loudspeakers in religious places.
The court order came on a PIL filed by M.L. Yadav, a local lawyer, who alleged that the Noise Pollution Regulat-ion and Control Rule was not being followed in religious places like temples, mosques, gurdwara and churches. The petitioner said that students, patients and senior citizens bore the brunt of noise pollution.
As per the rule, the use of loudspeakers cannot be allowed from 10 pm to 6 am but the rule was frequently violated.
The petitioner sought a direction for strict compliance with the rule so that people could sleep peacefully.
