The Ahmedabad District Child Protection Unit has issued a notice to Coldplay and its lead singer Chris Martin barring the entry of children below five years at the British rock band’s concerts to be held on January 25 and 26 in the city.
“The notice (dated January 3) issued to them has stated that children below five years old should not be allowed in the concert. Also, children between 5-18 years should be allowed with ear plugs to ensure loud noise does not pose any damage to their ears,” Ahmedabad District Child Protection Officer Tanvika Parmar told The Indian Express.
The action followed a petition filed on January 2 by Prof Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor of Sociology at Government College, Sector 46 Chandigarh. “I filed the petition with the District Child Protection Unit through mail and they promptly responded to my mail,” he told The Indian Express.
The notice has also warned the organisers to maintain the sound levels below 120 decibels. “Therefore, it is hereby warned to organisers and singer to not use children on stage in any form because, in such shows there is high sound of more than 120 db and flashing lights are used which are harmful for children and do not allow any child to enter into concert venue without earplug, hearing protection,” the notice issued to the band and organisers stated.
As part of its ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’, the British rock band comprising lead singer Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion is set to perform at the Narendra Modi Stadium for the “biggest-ever stadium audience globally”. Around a lakh people are expected to attend the concerts.
Prof Dharenavar’s petition highlighted that according to the World Health Organisation, more than 120 db sound and flashing lights used in concerts are “harmful for children”.
He had filed similar petitions during Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati concerts across Telangana, Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Punjab and Chandigarh asking the singer to not call children on stage and sing songs on alcohol. “Since 2016, I have been working against indecent songs but started a campaign for children since November during Diljit Dosanjh’s shows. I saw that when he performed across the world, he had called children on the stage. I was shocked to see that,” he said.
On Coldplay’s petition, he said, “When the lead singer of Coldplay himself is suffering from a hearing ailment, how can he put the health of children at risk and allow children to risk their health?”
The notice issued in Ahmedabad has been marked to the city commissioner, too. “We have sought deployment of special juvenile police staff to ensure the directives are followed during the concert,” Parmar said.
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