Mumbai:
Even as Vashi-based Modern College and ICL School are encashing on the wedding season, by renting out their playgrounds for a handsome return, the residents and students complained about increasing noise and sound pollution in the silence zone.
"NMMC has declared sector-15 and 16 as silence zone as three educational institutes Modern College, Vashi; ICL School and NMMC School are on the same stretch. However, when there is a wedding music is played loudly throughout the day and in the evening crackers are bursted. Irrespective of being an educational institute these people are blatantly violating the rules. This is acting as a disturbance to the locals and students are the ones who are worst affected especially with the Board exams round the corner," said Vikram Shinde, a local corporator.
He added, "As per the CIDCO bye-laws the playgrounds attached to the educational institute should be used only for sports events. During, school or college hours students can use it and after that it should be open for the public, but these grounds are never available to public since during evening time it's rented for some wedding function. The educational institutions have no right to rent out these grounds, by doing this they are not only violating the laws but are also taking away the right of the students and general public of using the facility for sports purpose. Moreover, the wedding procession jams entire traffic on the lane and creates trouble to the residents. I have been receiving regular complaints from the residents and want educational institute to take up this matter and stop renting the playgrounds," added Shinde.
When contacted, Modern College, Principal Arvind Burungale said, "We rent the college playground on rare occasions only to selective people who are closely associated with the college. Besides, the ground is rented for a nominal fee, which is used for maintenance of the college and the ground itself. At the same time, we request the people who rent ground to do not burst crackers and play loudspeakers after 10pm. However, I will put forth the matter in Local Management Committee (LMC) meeting and they will decide whether the playground should be rented in future or not." Attempts to contact ICL School, Principal proved futile.
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