Mumbai, Aug 27 (NIE): The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced that anyone flouting noise pollution norms in Mumbai’s silent zones would invite imprisonment up to five years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

It also appealed to the residents to come forward and register complaints in various police stations across the city if they come across instances of violation of noise pollution norms in silent zones during the upcoming festival season.

In Mumbai, 110 areas have been shortlisted as silent zones. These essentially cover all government and private hospitals, nursing homes, schools and colleges as well as courts. For example, Mumbai University, Bombay High Court, educational institutes like the Government Law College and SNDT Women College as well as JJ Hospital and Jaslok Hospital are in the list of these 110 silent zones across Mumbai and its suburbs.

In a statement issued in Mumbai on Sunday, the state government said: “If there is violation of noise pollution norms in these 110 places, it would invite imprisonment up to five years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. “

In these silent zones, the noise level during the day cannot exceed 50 decibel and 40 decibel during the night. On the other hand, noise level permissible for industrial areas is 75 decibel during the day and 70 decibel at night. In commercial areas, it is 65 decibel during day and 55 decibel at night. In residential areas, it is 55 decibel during the day and 45 decibel at night. The government said that complaints regarding violation of noise pollution norms in silent zones during festivals could be lodged at the police helpline number 100. Moreover, complaints could be sent on the email address mcrcpmumbaimahapolice.government.in.