Overview
- A citizen activist’s demand for a complete DJ ban at a Pune Municipal Corporation meeting triggered protests and viral footage that sharpened debate over festival noise.
- Police have issued a blanket ban on laser and plasma light systems and said DJs may operate only if they meet prescribed decibel limits and noise rules.
- Enforcement has begun with multiple equipment seizures, more than 100 noise violations recorded after checks and mandatory CCTV for mandal premises.
- Ganesh mandals and the sound‑system industry oppose a blanket ban and are pressing for uniform, consistently applied rules and safeguards for workers whose livelihoods depend on festival contracts.
- Political voices are split: Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol backed strict limits on lights and enforcement of court‑mandated noise norms while Pune Congress called for a DJ‑free festival, and authorities face practical challenges measuring sound at converging procession routes.