Noise Pollution Rules in Goa

It is said at the time of our earlier days that music used to generate flowers in plants beside growth and productivity. But today noise pollution has also brought diseases like stress, insomnia, digestive disorders in humans being exposed to noise. The diseases due to Noise Pollution are no more limited to big cities but have spread to our Villages due to continuos noise of loudspeakers, open air entertainment’s, diesel generators, swimming pool filtration plants, bursting of loud sound emitting fire crackers, carpentry machines, glass & tile cutting machinery etc; etc blatantly used in residential areas.

For the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the Environment in our residential areas a comprehensive Noise Standard had been developed and recommended as Ambient Noise Standards prescribed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest under Environment Protection Act, 1986 which had indicated the maximum sound levels allowable during day and night time in areas such as Industrial, Commercial, Residential and Silence Zone. Browse this information on the internet using Google search for Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000.

According to the Schedule prescribed in the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000 the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition No 72 of 1998 with Civil Appeal No 3785 of 2005 decided on 18th July, 2005 issued the following directions.

a) There shall be a complete ban on bursting of sound emitting firecrackers between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.

b) No one shall beat a drum or tom-tom or blow a trumpet or beat drum or sound any instrument or use any sound amplifier between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.

d) The peripheral noise level of privately owned sound system shall not exceed more than 5 dB(A) than the Ambient Air Quality Standard specified for the area in which it is used, at the boundary of the private place .

Responsibility on restriction or the use of Loud speakers/Public address system is with the State Police Department. The Police are duty bound to enforce the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000 as per the clear unambiguous direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. The Hon’ble High Court at Panaji ,Goa on Suo Motto Petition No 4 of 2006 appointed citizens committee comprising of 7 members with a view to contain Noise Pollution particularly in the North Goa Coastal areas. The committee under the Chairmanship of the North Goa Collector Mr R. Mihir Vardahan has devised procedures to effectively implement the prevention and control of Noise pollution especially with regard to Section 8 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000.Violators shall face confiscation of the offending equipment as well as per provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 which may extend to imprisonment up to One Year or fine up to One lack or both.

Permission required for more than seven days a month, at any location for use of loudspeakers /Public address system or sound producing machinery in open air in residential areas, a letter of consent from the Goa State Pollution Control under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is made mandatory by the Collector & District Magistrate, North Goa.

Issuing authority for permissions to use loudspeakers or Public address system lies only with Collector/Additional Collector/Dy.Collector.

As per directions of the Hon’ble High Court at Panaji Goa, every police station shall maintain a separate register for noting complaints of Noise Pollution. The Police Inspector In-charge of every police station shall submit monthly reports to the Superintendent of police North and South respectively of all the complaints received complaining about noise pollution and sound violators, along with the names and address of the violator, and action taken on the same. When complaint is made by a citizen the police attending the call should disclose his full name and designation at the time of attending the call and record full details of the noise pollution i.e. location of the place where the alleged violation is taking place.


By Mr. A. J. De Souza
Member of the Noise Pollution Committee
Appointed by the Hon”ble High Court, Panaji Goa.

Posted By : Mr. A. J. De Souza, Goa on 01/02/2008