Somaiya Trust flouted silence zone rules, say residents

Barely a month after the Pestom Sagar Residents Association in Chembur fought tooth and nail to ensure that a barren ground near their residential complex becomes a silence zone, the residents were in for a rude shock. On April 11 the law was blatantly flouted. The residents’ association is now contemplating moving the High court with the help of Awaaz Foundation. The problem started when loudspeakers were used on ground numbers 4 and 5 of the land. “The Somaiya College premises are around 100 metres from Pestom Sagar area and whole of the ground, including ground numbers 4 and 5, come under silence zone. However, we were told that the ground does not come under the ambit,” said Sheetal Sangole, who spearheaded the campaign to bring the ground under silence zone.

“It is a blatant contempt of court and nothing else. The area has clearly been demarcated as a silence zone. There are even signs which show the same but still the law was violated. When we approached the police, they did not help us. We are planning to file another PIL in the High Court,” said Dr Vijay Sangole, President, Pestom Sagar Residents’ Association.

“The ground has been divided into five parts. And then they have stated that only parts 1, 2 and 3 come under silence zone whereas 4 and 5 are not under the ambit. How can that be when the whole area is 100 metres from an educational institute,” added Dr Sangole.

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