Loudspeaker Raj: Suffering Noise Pollution In Silence

THE deafening noise of DJs and public address systems have emerged as a bane of modern life.

- B K SHARMA

Many of us-old or young, healthy or delicate, sleepaholic or insomniac-often suffer from uncontrolled cacophony in our neighbourhood or public area. Come elections, and noise levels in both urban and rural areas destabilise lives and inflict misery on helpless citizens. However, the enforcement authorities tasked with protecting us from such debilitating intrusion often turn a deaf ear.

The Centre in 2000 framed the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules that prescribe permissible noise levels or ambient air quality for different areas, separately for day and night time. While the maximum permissible noise level for residential areas respectively for day and night time has been fixed at 55 and 45 dB(A), those for Silence Zones are 50 and 40 dB(A). Rules also state a loudspeaker shall not be used between 10 pm and 6 am, except in closed premises like auditoriums, conference rooms, community and banquet halls; that too, for communication within. Further, a loudspeaker shall not be used except after obtaining written permission of the competent authority. The Rules, however, are confined to books only and flagrant violations are the norm.