Up in Arms Against Noise

Having fought and won several long, drawn-out battles against noise pollution, Sumaira Abdulali, has won many awards and honours for her commendable work for the environment. Though extremely soft spoken, she is a fierce environmentalist who will stop at nothing to take the bull by its horn. Her interview with Namrata Gulati Sapra for TerraGreen is a testimony to her grit and perseverance…

- Namrata Gulati Sapra

Tell us about your first brush with activism.

My first brush with activism happened when someone blocked a road at a very secluded place in Alibag (a coastal town, just south of Mumbai). Fishermen approached me, seeking help, since the road provided access to the beach. I was eager to do something since the issue concerned five villages and thousands of fishermen, who told me about their roadside protests which were of no avail, so I met the Collector. Realizing that I had access to the resources of the city, I added these resources to the on-ground protests at village level. I wrote to the collector and lodged a police complaint. My uncle, who was the Chairman of an NGO then, connected me to lawyers with an interest in environment who would work pro bono. We succeeded in clearing the road, but it did not come easy; it involved a lot of hard work but nevertheless it was a learning experience for me.

What was your first major victory with regards to curbing noise pollution?