City-dwellers
suffer from noise pollution
ASM Nurunnabi
Although the problems of air and water pollution have received much publicity
through the print media, there seems to be a lack of awareness in the case of
noise pollution. Notably, environmental activists as well as journalists
have not been vocal enough about the adverse effect of noise pollution, which is
no longer just a minor health hazard. Despite being widespread, its long-term
ill effects are somehow not obvious to the casual observer and even trained
environmentalists apparently have failed to take stock of the situation. At
present, its pernicious effects can be felt even in district towns, not to
mention big cities.
For lack of zoning laws governing growth activities in specific areas like
residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, etc., we find an
intermingling of disparate entities in a given area. For example, a
predominantly residential area may have mills and factories, commercial centres,
educational institutions etc. Hospitals, recreational areas such as parks, and
libraries are found located within areas of heavy vehicular traffic, causing
serious noise pollution as the rattling sound from two-stroke engines of
auto-rickshaws and uncontrolled honking of horns by cars, trucks and buses
continue all day long.
In many cases, our lack of civic sense compounds the problem. Organisers of
different functions including marriage ceremonies and other social or political
events install loudspeakers to play music or to deliver speeches, even in the
late hours of night.
They do not spare a thought that the noise they create could be a source of
extreme mental agony for people living around, particularly patients, students
studying for exams or those trying to rest after a hard day's work.
The intensity of sound is measured in logarithmic units known as decibels.
Sounds measuring 80 decibels can cause hearing defects. Steady exposure to
sounds exceeding 90 decibels, a level that is frequently reached in many common
urban areas during construction work involving drilling and welding, takeoff and
landing of jet planes, traffic jams, etc., can cause permanent damage to the
ear. In addition to loss of hearing, noise can produce other deleterious effects
on human health and work performance.
Developed countries are much more conscious about the adverse effects of noise
pollution. In Japan, stretches of noise insulation boards have been installed
along the road from the Narita Airport to the Tokyo City Centre in order to
protect residential areas from the onslaught of noise rising from movement of
heavy motor traffic.
In many cities, operation of drills and other noisy equipment after daylight
hours is legally prohibited. Another strategy of urban planning is to locate
busy city centres and heavy industries outside city limits.
As far as we are concerned, it is not that we lack legal provisions regarding
noise control in our country. Dhaka Metropolitan Police have issued codes
governing the use of loudspeakers during public meetings and other functions.
But enforcement of these rules is another matter.
Our legal instruments available cannot be used for noise control due to the
indifference on the part of the affected quarters. Lately, the situation has
reached such proportions that some are saying that we, as a nation, are not yet
fit for urban living.
In view of the growing menace of noise pollution, the onus of convincing the
people about the hazards of noise pollution and building up an effective
movement to stop it lies on the doctors, scientists, environmentalists, and
journalists.
Source: The Daily Star, 22 December, 2001