Stories
Allahabad HC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Class 2 Student's Death Due to Loud DJ Music
- •The Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of a class 2 student in Balrampur, who collapsed inside her classroom while a procession with a loud DJ system passed by.
- •A Lucknow bench, already hearing a PIL on pressure horns, modified silencers, and hooters, registered a separate suo motu PIL to specifically address noise pollution and compliance with statutory provisions.
- •The girl, a student of Divine Public School, reportedly collapsed on September 22 due to high-volume loudspeakers and music during a nearby procession, though the court has not concluded the cause of death.
- •The court observed that noise pollution is a growing menace despite being recognized under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, questioning who is responsible for curbing it.
- •The court directed the state counsel to obtain reports from the Balrampur district magistrate and superintendent of police and asked senior advocate Gaurav Mehrotra to assist as amicus curiae in the new proceedings.
Key Questions Answered
The Allahabad High Court took suo motu cognisance after a class 2 student of Divine Public School collapsed and died in her classroom on September 22 while a procession with a loud DJ system passed by, raising larger concerns over unchecked noise pollution.
The newly registered suo motu public interest litigation will examine compliance with the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, alongside evaluating measures to effectively curb noise pollution.
The court directed the state counsel to obtain reports from the Balrampur district magistrate and superintendent of police, ensure the school is served a copy of the order to assist proceedings, and listed the matter for further hearing on October 12.
