Dealing with noise pollution
According to a survey of the Department of Environment (DoE), noise pollution causes high blood pressure, tachycardia, headache and indigestion, peptic ulcer, and also affects sound sleep
Abdur Rahim
Dhaka city is becoming a difficult place to live in because of excessive noise pollution. Undue noise pollution is taking place at extreme level alongside air pollution and water pollution in the city. Noise pollution is harmfully affecting the city dwellers with causing physical and psychological problems, and thus become an alarming health hazard. Uncontrolled noise of Dhaka city is increasing gradually with the arrival of new vehicles; consequently, the degree and intensity of this pollution is often cause to the impairment of hearing of city dwellers. The level of noise pollution and its influence is also affecting the socio-environment of the city.
When I walk through the road, I notice that the drivers of vehicles use unnecessarily their hydraulic horns to create blaring that is causing excessive noise generation. People of the city, predominantly student cant concentrate on their study, cant sleep also due to unbearable sound of horns. We should think seriously about school bound children who are becoming affected harmfully with psychological problems. In 2012, a school-going toddler was killed by a Milk Vita Company-owned car in Mirpur While the baby suddenly heard the sound of a bike, she ran and went under the wheels of the car. The baby was killed on the spot.
The urban people always desire a calm and quiet life, like that of the rural areas alongside urbanization and industrialization for economic development in the country. Taking into account, the physical and mental health of the urban people, predominantly of the children, it is imperative for the decision-makers, leaders, planners and engineers to keep the noise level in the city within the acceptable limits.
According to a survey of the Department of Environment (DoE), noise pollution causes mental and physical illness among the people. It causes high blood pressure, tachycardia, headache and indigestion, peptic ulcer, and also affects sound sleep. Anyone may become deaf for the time being if 100 dB or more noise pollution occurs for half an hour or more in any place. Noise pollution beyond the limit destroys hearing and might even lead to the losing of ones mental balance. Working in an environment having loud noise for a long period can cause complete deafness to any person. Any sort of noise pollution seriously affects expecting mothers.
The unit of sound frequency is hertz. Human beings usually hear 15 to 20 kilohertz (KHz) frequency sound. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), generally 60 dB sounds can make a man deaf temporarily and 100 dB sounds can cause complete deafness.
But the noise of any busy on the street in Dhaka is estimated at a level between 60 dB and 80 dB, with the sound of vehicles being 95 dB, loudspeakers, 90 to 100 dB, mills and factories, 80 to 90 dB, restaurants and cinema halls, 75 to 90 dB, festivals, 85 to 90 dB, scooters or motorbikes, 87 to 92 dB and trucks and buses 92 to 94 dB. But the desired sound measure is 25 dB in the bedroom, 40 dB in the dining or drawing room, 35-40 dB in the office, 30-40 dB in the class room, 35-40 dB in the library, 20-35 dB in hospital, 40-60 dB in a restaurant and 45 dB in the city at night.
Unpremeditated actions of the people, unplanned diffusion of communication system, unplanned industrialization, lack of awareness among drivers, use of loud-speakers at different festival and indifference of authority to the problem are raising concern among people. Now it is necessary to formulate laws regarding with specific sound limitation for industries, transports and social programmes. Sound of vehicle, industries must keep below directive level.
It is necessary to ensure punishment for violating laws regarding the issue. According to environment and forestry protection law-1997, there is directed silent area within 100 meter of any hospitals, educational institutions and some government fixed institutions. Prohibit using mike and blaring of horns. But, none follow the rules. The government should take into consideration the following guidelines in order to control sound pollution at tolerance level in the city, such as awareness building among people, predominantly drivers in the city through campaign at educational institutions and public parks; stopping industrial activity in residential areas; Seriousness to execute the Noise Control Rules-2004; Complete banning of the vehicular hydraulic horns in any place of the city; Expanding the monitoring programmes at the main traffic points to determine whether the vehicles follow the orders or not.
In conclusion, we, the people in the city are suffering from unbearable noise pollution due to indifference to the matter; consequently our next generation is in psychological and physical threat. Now, we should be cautious about our future generation so that they can grow up in a healthy, sound free city like Thimbu, Bhutan and others developed cities in the world. Lets voice together against noise pollution in Dhaka city. Lets be free from noise pollution.
The writer is a freelancer
