Nagpur, India: Residents of Ramdaspeth have approached the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, seeking a ban on Garba events during Navratri 2024 in their area. The petitioners argue that the high-decibel music associated with these events violates noise regulations and disrupts the quiet residential environment.

The petition specifically requests that the Mor Hindi Upper Primary School ground in Ramdaspeth be designated a “silent zone,” preventing the use of loudspeakers and music systems for Garba celebrations. The residents are in conflict with the Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association, which organizes these events and uses high-volume sound systems that disturb the neighborhood.

The petitioners, including Pawan Sarda, Dr. Shubhangi Deshmane, Sanyogita Dhanwatay, Rahul Dalmiya, Anurag Saraf, Varun Bajaj, and Nimish Sutaria, have filed their writ based on recent Supreme Court judgments and previous court orders. They argue that these events violate the Noise Rules 2000, which regulate permissible noise levels in residential areas.

The petition names several respondents, including the Secretary of the Departments of Home, Cultural Affairs, and Urban Development, the Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Municipal Commissioner, the Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The residents are also referring to a 2023 undertaking that limited Garba events at Mor School to one day, seeking to prevent a repeat of the high-noise events this year.