The Government is to amend the relevant statutes and existing legislation to prevent noise pollution and strengthen the respective legal framework, said the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms.
The move has been taken following the recommendations of the report of the committee appointed to review the existing laws and regulations on noise pollution in Sri Lanka, which was handed over by its Chairperson, Supreme Court Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena, to Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms, President’s Counsel (PC), Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, at the Ministry premises yesterday (27).
According to the Ministry, the committee has proposed much-needed amendments to statutes such as the Penal Code, the Motor Traffic Act, and the Police Ordinance, particularly to make the legal response to noise pollution more effective. The report was made by the committee headed by Justice Samayawardhena, Additional Solicitor General, Parinda Ranasinghe Junior PC, Additional Secretary (Legal) to the Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Ministry Piyumanthi Peiris, and others. The report has been prepared within two months, and accordingly, the committee has analysed the international standards on noise pollution and proposed some changes to the existing legal framework on noise pollution in Sri Lanka.
At present, the main instrument of combating noise pollution in the country is the Noise Regulations, No. 01 of 1996 gazetted under the National Environmental Act which mainly addresses noise emanating from industrial and construction activities.
Source: the morning