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Now, monitors to check noise levels in
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21/apr/2010 |
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/ |
Now, monitors to check noise levels in
CHENNAI: Soon, the decibel levels of the city's public places, from Tiruvottiyur to Velachery, will be measured by noise monitors. This is the first time plans for such a comprehensive noise metre have been made, and monitors will be installed at strategic points in each of the ten zones of the Chennai Corporation, in buildings belonging to the civic agency.
To be installed by the Central Pollution Control Board, the monitors will measure the noise levels round the clock. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has zoned in on areas most likely to provide a composite image of the city's decibel levels, ranging from commercial, industrial, residential and silent zones such as hospitals and schools.
"Although we have been measuring the air quality in the city for many years, noise levels have never been under the scanner," said a top TNPCB official. "However, with the growth in the number of vehicles and health concerns over noise adding to urban stress levels, scientific data on noise levels is necessary to address environmental concerns," he added. Currently, noise level standards range between 75 dB(A) for industrial zones and 50 db(A) for silent zones, during the day. (See box).
Areas identified by the TNPCB include the corporation office at Tiruvottiyur, the physical fitness building (ward 24, unit 6), the Chennai Corporation Press building in ward 48, Sowcarpet, the 51st ward's office building on Paper Mills Road, Perambur, the ward office building on Second Main Road, Anna Nagar, the Triplicane ward office on Sengalvarayan Road, the Chennai district library building on Vengu Road, Egmore, one of the two corporation ward offices on Usman Road and Bazullah Road, the CIPET complex in Guindy and another on Velachery Main Road.
In the first phase, five monitors will be installed at Guindy, T Nagar, Vallalar Nagar, Perambur and Triplicane. The monitors, which require only four feet by four feet of space, will be housed in weather-proof cabinets, and have a noise-level analyser, battery, a communication device for transmitting data to receiving station (CPCB). An outdoor microphone would also be fitted. "We are in the process of writing to the Chennai Corporation for permission to instal monitors in their buildings," added officials.
The new initiative follows the road map for systematic monitoring of ambient noise levels announced by union minister of environment and forests Jairam Ramesh in January. He called for a systematic monitoring of ambient noise under the National Ambient Monitoring Network Programme (NANMP).
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