Kanwar Yatra’s deafening noise goes unheard by the state

The Kanwar Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage, created a noise crisis in Delhi this week. Measurements clocked sound levels exceeding one hundred decibels in residential neighborhoods like Kalindi Kunj and Kalkaji—far above India's daytime limit of fifty-five decibels and nighttime limit of forty-five decibels in residential areas. Residents reported sleepless nights and rattling windows. According to Scroll.in, police assisted with traffic and asked some drivers to lower volume, but no citations had been issued when the measurements were reported. India's noise regulations require written permission for loudspeakers and ban outdoor amplification between ten PM and six AM, regardless of religious context. Yet enforcement appeared inconsistent: in Uttar Pradesh, the same Kanwar Yatra was celebrated with flower petals showered from helicopters. The World Health Organization warns that excessive environmental noise causes sleep disturbance, hearing impairment, cognitive harm, and increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease.

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