New Delhi

On Thursday, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling that restricted Dhol-Tasha-Zanj troupes to 30 members each during Pune’s Ganesh immersion ceremonies. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued notices to the Maharashtra government, Pune officials, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), among others.

The NGT’s directive had aimed to manage noise pollution by limiting troupe sizes and imposing real-time monitoring around Ganesh pandals, with potential criminal charges for violations. The court, however, emphasized Pune’s rich tradition, saying, Let them do their Dhol-Tasha, this is the heart of Pune.

The petitioners argued that the Dhol-Tasha tradition holds significant cultural value during Ganeshotsav, which started on September 7. The NGT had also placed restrictions on loudspeakers and prohibited certain noise-making devices during the festival, which includes both the immersion processions and the 10-day Ganesh celebration.