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Article
The sound pollution threat
| Post at: |
27/mar/2008 |
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web master |
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http://nation.ittefaq.com/issu |
The sound pollution threat
SOUND pollution in the city has reached a high level and poses a serious threat to human health. Permissible sound measures range from 35 decibel [dB] to 75 dB from place to place. According to the Department of Environment, tolerable sound limits for daytime and night are respectively 45 dB and 35 dB in peaceful areas, 50 dB and 40 dB in residential areas, 60 dB and 50 dB in mixed areas, 70 dB and 60 dB in commercial areas and 75 dB and 70 dB in industrial areas.
But noise levels at different places in the city have surpassed the set limits. The noise intensity varies from 67 dB to 83 dB in the city. According to the World Health Organisation, 60 dB sounds can make one completely deaf and lead to different other physical and mental ailments. In the absence of control over creation of sounds the problem has been worsening Control of noise pollution has become urgent because of the threat it poses to human health. The concerned authorities must take up the matter with utmost seriousness. Though blowing of hydraulic horns is banned in the city, users are found to care little about it.
Establishment of factories and commercial enterprises in or near residential areas, the use of machinery and equipment in those without arrangement for sound proofing are some of the factors that lead to sound pollution. The absence of restrictions on the use of horns by automobile operators increases the intensity of the problem. The use of loudspeakers for entertainment purposes sometimes causes serious inconvenience to neighbours if such programmes are not organised at secluded places. However, mere knowledge of sound pollution going above tolerable limits would be meaningless if such knowledge is not followed up with preventive and curative measures. Above all, awareness of the people about the adverse effects of sound pollution is needed to enlist their participation in solving the problem.
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