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June 16, 2001
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Money > Business Headlines > Report June 16, 2001 |
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Calcutta loudest, Madras quietestMamata Singh Metropolitan cities in the country are noisier than they should be. The average noise levels in major cities are way above the ambient noise standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board. The Compendium of Environmental Statistics, released by the Central Statistical Organisation, states that noise levels in most metros- even in the residential and the designated 'silence zones'-have reached levels way above the prescribed ambient noise standards. Noise pollution is the highest in Calcutta, both during the day and the night. During day time, Bangalore's industrial and commercial areas are the second in terms of noise pollution while at night, Madras is the second noisiest. Increasing noise pollution may be attributed to the increase in the number of vehicles, urbanisation and industrialisation, the report states. Madras however has the quietest residential areas, followed by Bangalore and Bombay. Noise levels in Calcutta's residential areas are much higher than in the other metros for which data is available. In residential areas, while the CPCB has prescribed an ambient noise standard of 55 LeqbB(A) during the day (between 6.00 am and 9.00 pm), the noise level in Calcutta is 79 units while in Bombay it is 70 units. Madras, which has the quietest residential areas among the four metros covered, has a noise level of 66 units followed by Bangalore with a noise level of 67 units. Even short exposure to intense noise can shift the hearing threshold upward while prolonged exposure or intermittent exposure over a long period damages hearing, resulting in a permanent threshold shift. Accordingly, the CPCB has prescribed norms for noise levels. However, noise levels even in the 'silence zones,' i.e. areas up to 100 metre around certain premises like hospitals, educational institutions and courts, where honking horns, use of loudspeakers, bursting of crackers and hawker's noise are banned are also fairly high. While the prescribed level is 50 units during the day, actual levels are to the tune of 79 units in Calcutta, 66 in Bombay, 63 in Madras and 67 in Bangalore. Powered by YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ:
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