With this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali celebrations having come to a close, the Christmas and New Year’s wave of open-air weddings and receptions is set to leave Goa awash with nightly celebrations. Hard-earned money and life savings are spent lovingly and lavishly on wedding preparations and arrangements. Volume and decibel limits are strictly followed at venues so that wedding playlists, DJs and live bands play uninterrupted. But with most wedding celebrations having to wind up by 10 pm, not only do invitees leave disappointed, the couples will look back on their wedding day as a special memory cut short. The annual 15-day midnight limit under Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 for public festivals could be extended to 30 days across the year to accommodate private weddings. It would also act as a buffer for betrothed couples and their families to plan and execute preparations and make necessary arrangements before the special day in a stress-free manner. From 10 pm onwards, bands should play traditional, acoustic or unplugged sets to respect public peace and our environment.
ROSS LOPES, Mapusa
