Procuring decibel meters: Bombay HC holds former additional chief secretary guilty of contempt
The court directed KP Bakshi to appear before it on December 23, when it will pronounce his sentence.
Holding former additional chief secretary (Home) K P Bakshi guilty of contempt, the Bombay High Court Friday pulled up the Maharashtra government, saying it had taken the court "for a ride" on the issue of procuring decibel meters to measure noise levels. The court directed Bakshi to appear before it on December 23, when it will pronounce the quantum of sentence against him. A division bench headed by Justice A S Oka held that the state had failed to procure decibel meters to measure noise levels by November, despite repeated assurances given to the court by Bakshi in affidavits.
In May, the court had issued contempt notice against Bakshi for "wilful and deliberate" breach of court orders relating to procurement of 1,843 decibel meters.
"The court is being taken for a ride by the government. We kept relying on the affidavits filed. This is a very callous approach. We will now have to sentence him (Bakshi). Ask him to appear before us on December 23 and make submissions. We will then pass an order on his sentence," said Justice Oka.
The decibel meters were to be procured by the government and supplied to all police stations in the state to measure noise levels during festivals, processions and other events, and ensure compliance of noise pollution rules and regulations.
Earlier, the government had assured the court that the meters would be procured by March. Later, Bakshi in his affidavit had claimed that the company supposed to supply the meters had failed to do so. He submitted that a fresh schedule plan had been prepared, by which the meters would be procured by November end.