THE government had prepared, a couple of years or more ago, a draft law to control noise pollution, with the provisions of a fine of Taka 10,000 and a maximum imprisonment of six months for producing noise higher than the permissible limit. But for unknown reasons no progress took place since then in making the law. Why this foot dragging?
The law would be of great value to millions and millions of people who are progressively losing their hearing abilities due to rising noise pollution.
The Society for Assistance of Hearing Impaired Children (SAHIC), during a year-long survey of 21 spots, had found out the impact of noise pollution on the residents of Dhaka city.
It showed that hearing ability of 76.9 per cent of the people surveyed was damaged by continuous noise pollution. A joint survey done later by a private university and a non governmental organization at 20 spots of Dhaka city covered residential areas, academic institutions and hospitals where least noise is desirable.
Though the sound level in these areas should be within 45 decibels, the survey found an average sound level of 75 decibels near Oxford International School at Dhanmondi, 86 decibels near Birdem Hospital and 76 decibels near Viqarunnessa Noon School and College.
At Kalyanpur, a purely residential area, the survey found the average sound level at 80 decibels. The average sound level in other residential areas either matches this level or even surpasses it.
Noise pollution not only leads to gradual hearing loss but also causes other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, palpitation, loss of concentration, headache, irritability, insomnia and other physical and mental sicknesses. It is, therefore, high time to take the draft noise pollution act out of the freezer for adoption and implementation at the fastest.
Noise pollution occurs not only from car honking but also from an indiscriminate use of loudspeakers by vendors and others and industrial activities in residential areas. All of these and other sources of noise pollution need to be eliminated through comprehensive legislation and its enforcement.
Amin Ibrahim
Mohammadpur,
Dhaka
Action against noise pollution
FE Team | Published: August 10, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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