Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 15, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, Mar 15, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tamil Nadu |
 |
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts: Retail Plus | Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary |
Tamil Nadu
Schools and hospitals are bearing the brunt, says R. Rajaram Just recently, a large number of school and college students lent their support to a campaign, jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and Voice Trust, a non-governmental organisation, against the increasing decibel levels in the City. The campaign came as a manifestation of the growing awareness on noise pollution, especially owing to the rise in the number vehicles hitting the roads every day. Environmental activists and academicians have been sounding a warning about the ill-effects of the excessive noise levels for quite some time now. The city’s busy thoroughfares are today witness to speeding vehicles and blaring horns making driving virtually a traumatic experience. Heavy vehicles and goods carriers fitted with air horns of different kinds add to the noise pollution. The Gandhi Market Junction, where traffic hold-ups are witnessed even during night, is a typical example with rows of vehicles lined up on opposite sides with their horns blaring. Repeated honking by private town buses to beat the competition is a common feature. Bus crew hardly give a thought to the supposedly silence zones such as hospitals, schools and temples. In fact, the silence zones in the city have been bearing the brunt of high noise levels. The noise level prescribed by the TNPCB for silence zones is 50 decibels (dB) during day time and 45 dB during nights. The permitted level for residential areas is 55 dB. But a study taken up the faculty and students of the Department of Physics of the Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College has shown that the noise levels have been consistently much higher even in the silence zones over the past four years. The study covered nine city schools, all of which were situated close to the arterial roads including Thennur Middle School, Syed Murthuza Higher Secondary School near Marakkadai and Ranganatha Middle School on Amma Mandapam Road in Srirangam. Scientific tests were conducted using sound level data logger and sound level meters at different periods of time during school hours inside and outside the classrooms for a period of four months. The maximum sound level crossed 80 dB, while the average was between 65 and 70 dB. Teachers were forced to raise their voice over the noise level as it interfered with their conversation with the students. Responses from the teachers and students, collected through a questionnaire, clearly established that the excessive noise levels disturbed their teaching and learning process. The study also found that the day time noise levels were high in the city’s commercial centres. Commuters in City and mofussil buses were also subject to high levels of noise pollution due to the playing of music, especially in private buses. Some of the two-wheelers and even light vehicles plying within the city used powerful horns creating problems for the fellow road users. An official said that the TNPCB was engaged in creating awareness among people about the harmful effects of noise pollution besides working in coordination with the Transport Department in removal of air horns. Transport Department officials say regular drives were being conducted to remove air horns from the vehicles and penalising them for using the same. Around 40 air horn violations cases were being booked every month with majority of the offenders being lorries. With 1,000 new vehicles being registered every month in the Tiruchi Regional Transport Office alone, the noise pollution is just getting worse. The efforts of the government agencies largely appear to be inadequate given the magnitude of the problem. Noise pollution is still not getting the attention it deserves, say consumer activists. Is anybody listening out there?
Printer friendly
page
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | Publications | eBooks | Images | Home |
Copyright © 2008, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
