Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with Home Department officials. After the meeting the state government announced that it is mandatory to take permission before using loudspeakers in the state over the next 15 days.
For the same a letter has been written by the Chief Secretary to the Additional Chief Secretary Environment for ensuring that court orders are followed by all. The ones who have not got permission should remove loudspeakers. A committee would be formed for taking a call on on the application for the use of loudspeakers, the government said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has asked the officials to strictly implement the Supreme Court’s order over the use of loudspeakers. Sri Rama Sene activists has called for playing morning prayers and Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers at temples, if the government fails to act against loudspeakers in mosques.
Bommai has said that the SC order is applicable to all and have to implement in an equitable manner. He said, “The SC order is already in place and it is applicable to all. We have to implement this in an equitable manner. We are keeping track of what’s happening in other states (row over azaan). The high court has already given a ruling on how to implement the SC order. I have given instructions that the orders have to be thoroughly followed.”
Earlier yesterday, at Diddi Hanuman Temple, Old Hubli, Sri Rama Sene activists played ‘suprabhata’ rhymes at around 5 am on loudspeakers. Activists would intensify their protest if the state government fails to act against loudspeakers in mosques, the Sene founder Pramod Muthalik said.
Education Minister BC Nagesh, reacted on the calls for the removal of loudspeakers from mosques. He said nobody has the right to take rules into their hands and all must follow the SC order. The government is very serious over this. He said, “The government is very serious and has instructed all SPs. Many have already cooperated and removed loudspeakers. This is a long demand and it will be solved. The responsibility of the government is to follow SC orders.”
Sri Rama Sene had earlier warned that if the government does not take action against loudspeakers installed at mosques, it will counter morning Azaan with Hanuman Chalisa or Suprabhata or Omkara and devotional songs from 5 AM on May 9.
In July 2005, SC had issued guidelines on the use of loudspeakers in public places at night to bring down the decibel levels. The use of loudspeakers or playing music systems between 10 pm to 6 am was banned (except in the cases of public emergencies) in public places, citing serious effects of noise pollution on the health of the people living in such areas.
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