Draft law to address 'square dancing'

The Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee held a news conference on Friday to share information on the draft amendment to the law on prevention and control of noise pollution.

The amendment focuses on "square dancing"－a form of exercise in which a group of senior citizens dances to the accompaniment of loud music in public squares and parks in the evenings－which many people complain about.

According to the draft law, neighborhood managers are required to slap a fine between 200 yuan ($31.35) and 1,000 yuan on any individual disturbing their neighbors while practicing square dancing. And organizations that violate the law and refuse to rectify their misconduct after being warned can be fined between 2,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan.

After reviewing the noise pollution prevention law in August, the NPC Standing Committee prepared the draft law to address a few vital questions. For example, the management committees in charge of public spaces where senior citizens practice square dancing are authorized to frame the regulations on noise pollution.

Also, the environmental protection agencies will no longer enforce the regulations. Instead, the draft law suggests the city-level government put a department in charge of enforcing the law. It even suggests that chengguan, urban patrol officers, be assigned the job.

As for the penalty for violating the law, in August the draft law suggested 200-500 yuan, but on further revision raised it to 200-1,000 yuan.

In the absence of demarcated public spaces for senior citizens to exercise, they are forced to practice square dancing in parks and other open spaces.

But by doing so, they might be unwittingly disturbing some of their neighbors.

The draft law, if cleared, will fix the boundaries for both sides, particularly the senior citizens, such as at what time and where they can practice square dancing and the acceptable decibel level of the music they play. We hope the draft law is passed and helps end the conflict between senior citizens and their younger counterparts.