The Hingurakgoda Magistrate’s Court has issued an order for the Sri Lanka Police and the Wildlife Conservation Department to ensure that the Deep Jungle Music and Cultural Festival is conducted without the use of loudspeakers and sound amplifiers.
Concerns have been raised by several groups over the Deep Jungle Music and Cultural Festival which is scheduled to be held from the 17th to the 20th of February close to the Galoya Forest Reserve. Several environmentalists have also filed lawsuits against the festival.
Issuing the court order yesterday (17), the Hingurakgoda Magistrates Court instructed the Police and the Wildlife Conservation Department that the music festival should be conducted in accordance with the Inspector General of Police’s Circular 2031/2007.
The court further ordered the Police and Wildlife Department to deploy a 20-member Police Team and a 10-member Wildlife Officer Team to monitor whether it is conducted in accordance with the said Circular.
At the same time, a Conditional Order was issued to conduct the said Deep Jungle Music and Cultural Festival without the use of loudspeakers and sound amplifiers, so that the sounds generated do not go beyond the boundaries of the festival premises.
According to this Police Circular, under Section 80(1) of the Police Ordinance, loudspeakers or other such devices shall not be used, legally, from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am of the following day.
A Conditional Order was issued to the Habarana Police to immediately seize the relevant sound equipment and take action as indicated in Circular 2031/2007 if there is any violation of the Inspector General’s Circular 2031/2007.
Under the guidance of Senior Counsel Ravindranath Dabare, Counsels S.H.M. Hasaan Hamid and Nishani Udeshika represented the Petitioners, the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), RARE, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS), and the Sri Lanka Nature Conservators (LNC). (NewsWire)