Pune Police Ban Laser Beams During Ganesh Immersion Due to Concerns of Eye Injuries, Partial Blindness

A year after reports of partial blindness and eye injuries due to laser beams, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has announced a ban on the use of laser beams during the city's Ganesh immersion processions.

The use of laser lights, often accompanied by drum beats, has become a popular trend during festive processions. However, it poses a significant risk to the eyes, as laser burns can lead to severe retinal damage. This risk is amplified when the laser's power exceeds 5 milliwatts, and even short exposures of just 10 seconds can cause harm.

A laser burn refers to an injury to the skin or other body tissues caused by exposure to a laser beam. These burns can vary in severity depending on factors such as the type of laser, the wavelength of the laser light, the power of the laser, and the duration of exposure.

Decision taken after 2 meetings

Ahead of Ganeshotsav, a meeting of office bearers from public Ganesh mandals in the city was held at the police headquarters on Monday (August 12), followed by another meeting on the following day at the Police Commissionerate, after which Kumar addressed the media.

Amid headlines highlighting festive noise pollution, the use of laser lights during celebrations came under scrutiny in 2023 after a young man from the Sinhagad Road area suffered significant damage to his retina, rendering him partially blind due to exposure to laser lights during the Ganesh Visarjan procession.

The affected individual, 23-year-old Aniket from Sinhagad Road, participated in the Ganesha Visarjan procession at Parvati Paytha. While dancing to the beats of the procession's DJ, a laser light hit one of Aniket's eyes. Surprisingly, he did not experience immediate pain or discomfort, but his vision became severely blurred.

Speaking with the Free Press Journal, Dr Anil Dudhbhate, an ophthalmologist, stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical attention for individuals facing similar issues to Aniket. He also emphasized the urgent need for regulations and restrictions on the use of laser lights to prevent such incidents from recurring during festivals like Navratri and Diwali, safeguarding the well-being of innocent people.