Bhubaneswar: Even as people of Odisha capital look forward to a grand celebration of Dussehra after a break of two years, the police have issued a restraint order cautioning against sound pollution during the revelry.
In a set of guidelines issued on Friday, the Commissionerate Police has directed the puja committees and organisers of different entertainment programmes to keep the output of musical systems within permitted limits.
Quoting the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000 and the Supreme Court order, the police told them to restrict sound output to maximum 65 decibel during the festival. The band/DJ and musical parties using amplifiers and musical instruments should have sound limiters connected to the systems for the purpose.
The guidelines further stated that only one musical band will be allowed during the immersion procession of the idols in the city. They can use maximum 4-5 sound boxes and no audio system will be allowed without having sound limiters.
No musical instrument will be played within 100-metre radius of silent zones like school, college, hospital and court. The time and route given to the immersion procession should be strictly followed, while the National Highways and the areas under Section 144 of CrPC are debarred for the event. No focus/flash lights will be used by the orgainsers who would use maximum 6 trolleys.
The musical bands and DJs registered with the DCP offices of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack will be allowed to perform.