Hyderabad pubs rapped for cranking up volume near homes

HYDERABAD: After visiting various pubs in the IT corridor during the weekend, police found that at least 15 pubs were playing loud music in violation of pollution rules.
After conducting sound pollution tests, criminal cases were booked against erring pubs on Sunday.

This development occurred days after a man knocked on the doors of the Telangana high court about the alleged menace of sound from two pubs in Raidurgam, which disturbed the operations of other businessmen, who owned space in the same building.
The Gachibowli police visited the pubs on Saturday night with a sound meter and conducted the test. Of the six registered cases, the highest sound emission found was at 88 decibels, followed by 86 decibels. The legal limit for sound emission at night is 55 decibels. Noise levels in other pubs ranged from 59 to 68 decibels.
The police registered cases against the managers and the management of each of these six pubs. The police also booked the establishments under Sections 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 292 (punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) of the BNS. The test was conducted by the police between 10 pm and 11.30 pm. Subsequently, suo motu cases were registered.
Similarly, six cases were registered in Madhapur limits and the noise pollution was found to be in the range of 60 to 72 decibels.
"The testing was conducted under three police station limits under Madhapur Division and FIRs were registered against all the violators. Testing will be done by us occasionally and it has nothing to do with the ongoing case in high court," assistant commissioner of police (Madhapur Division) Ch Sreekanth told TOI.
The petitioner in the HC alleged inaction on part of various departments — pollution control board, municipal authorities and police — in not taking action against two pubs, that were operating in a building, where the petitioner also owns space.