The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is escalating its efforts to combat pervasive noise pollution. On Wednesday, May 7th, the Ministry of Justice issued a directive to judicial authorities across the nation, mandating the prosecution of individuals responsible for excessive noise, in strict accordance with the existing decree regulating sound production.
This intensified fight against noise pollution comes as a direct order from the Minister of Justice to judicial bodies to commence legal proceedings against those contributing to this environmental nuisance nationwide.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, May 7th, the Ministry instructed Attorneys General and senior military prosecutors to vigorously enforce Decree No. 14/012 of 2014, which specifically regulates noise pollution levels within the country.
This decisive action follows the continued prevalence of disruptive noise in numerous cities, including the capital Kinshasa, and is aimed at safeguarding public order and citizens’ well-being. To ensure the effective implementation of this directive, the Deputy Commissioner General in charge of the Judicial Police and Provincial Commissioners have been mobilized. Furthermore, an emergency telephone number (+243 830085196) has been established to enable citizens to readily report instances of noise pollution violations.
This initiative is particularly timely as noise pollution increasingly poses a significant threat to the quality of life and public health of residents throughout the DRC.
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