An 85-year-old retired IAS officer has sent a legal notice to Karnataka’s Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, and the Banaswadi police station, alleging failure to enforce the Supreme Court’s ban on bursting sound-emitting fireworks between 10 pm and 6 am.
The former bureaucrat, MG Devasahayam, has said in the legal notice that he suffers from respiratory ailments. He lives in the Lingarajapuram area, within the Banaswadi police station’s jurisdiction.
According to the notice, firecrackers have been burst for several months beyond 10 pm, and sometimes, well into the early hours of the morning. He alleges that sustained noise pollution and exposure to smoke has caused him respiratory distress, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and sleep deprivation. He pointed to similar impacts on infants and other elderly residents.
He also alleges that sounds come from neighbouring areas as well, accusing police of a “city-wide” failure to enforce the Supreme Court’s directive.
The notice says that he had first contacted the Commissioner on August 12. Devasahayam also wrote to the Chief Secretary who forwarded the complaint to the Karnataka State Pollution Board. Despite repeated reminders on August 16 and 27, no action was taken, the notice said.
Based on his complaints to the Banaswadi police station, the station house inspector (SHO) and two assistant sub-inspectors visited Devasahayam’s residence in October and assured him of stringent action, but the situation only further deteriorated, the notice said.
The legal notice said that if repeated complaints have not led to a resolution, it “gives rise to the inevitable inference that the persons responsible are being permitted to act with impunity.”
Demands
Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling, the notice gives police three days to take action. The notice also points out that with festival season approaching, firework use would only increase.
He has urged the police to ensure strict adherence to the Supreme Court’s timings and issue notices to relevant police stations instructing the same. He has further demanded that police monitor and report compliance.
The notice calls for regular night patrols, specifically in the Lingarajapuram area.
The notice said if police do not take measures within three days, he will be forced to move the Supreme Court and the State Human Rights Commission.
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