18 business i environment i society mba 2016

Business I Environment I Society - Rajesh K Satpathy

Environmental Issue

# 4

Noise Pollution in India

What is Noise Pollution?

Definition…

“Noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive amountof noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruptionin the natural balance”.

A busy street in Mumbai

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life.Loud music, the television, people talking on their phone, thetraffic and even pets barking in the middle of the night. All of thesehave become a part of the urban culture and which rarely disturbus.

This definition is usually applicable to sounds or noises that areunnatural in either their volume or their production. Ourenvironment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise.Even electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beepingsound.

By and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure tounwanted sounds.


Deloitte in Kazakhstan

Model of modern Urban Planning, Brasilia, Brazil


Tokyo is most modern well planned cities of the world.

Understanding Noise Pollution

However, when the sound of the television keeps you fromsleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you a headache, itstops becoming just noise and start turning into noise pollution.

For many of us, the concept of pollution is limited to nature andresources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythmof our daily life makes for one solid pollutant.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines whichare capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that,various equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans,grinding mills also participate in producing big noise. Therefore,you all must have seen workers in these factories and industrieswearing ear plugs to minimize the effect of noise.

2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poorurban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, largefamilies sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights overbasic amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt theenvironment of society.

A street in Varanasi

A street in Dhaka, Bangadesh

A street in Jakarta, Indonesia


3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, DJ or place of worship, peoplenormally flout rules set by the local administration and createnuisance in the area. People play songs on full volume and dancetill midnight which makes the condition of people living nearbypretty worse. In markets, you can see people selling clothes viamaking loud noise to attract the attention of people.


4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, Aero planesflying over houses, trains produce heavy noise and people get itdifficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to asituation wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.

5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities likemining, construction of bridges, dams, buildings, roads, flyoverstake place in almost every part of the world. These constructionactivities take place everyday as we need more buildings, bridgesto accommodate more people and to reduce traffic congestion. Theimportant point is that these construction equipments are toonoisy.


6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets anduse them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile, mixergrinder, pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine,dryer, cooler, and air conditioners are minor contributors to theamount of noise that is produced but it affects the quality of life ofyour neighborhood in a bad way.

While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has farreaching consequences. The adverse effects on the human healthas well as of the environment are quite severe. Not only is the localwildlife affected by the this pollution, humans also face a numberof problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have notbeen built to filter can cause problems within the body. Ourears can take in a certain range of sounds without gettingdamaged. Man made noises such as hammers, horns,machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be too loud for ourhearing range.

Constant exposure to loud levels of noise can easily result in thedamage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It also reducesour sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously toregulate our body’s rhythm.

A Mela, India


2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such asoffices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes caninfluence psychological health.

Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive behavior,disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension canbe linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn, can cause moresevere and chronic health issues later in the life span.


3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper yoursleeping pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortablesituations. Without a good night sleep, it may lead to problemsrelated to fatigue and your performance may go down in office aswell as at home. It is therefore recommended to take a sound sleepto give your body proper rest.

4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vasculardisease and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studiessuggest that high intensity noise causes high blood pressure andincreases heart beat rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow.


5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble andmay not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead tomisunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding theother person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headacheand disturb your emotional balance.

6. Effect on Wildlife and Animals: Wildlife faces far more problemsthan humans because noise pollution since they are moredependent on sound. Animals develop a better sense of hearingthan us since their survival depends on it. The ill effects ofexcessive noise begin at home. Pets react more aggressively inhouseholds where there is constant noise.

Solutions:

As of now, there are many solutions to reduce sound pollution. Ona personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in theirhomes by lowering the volume of the radio, music system and thetelevision. Listening to music with headphones is also a good stepforward. Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in whichthe pollution can be countered, controlling the sound levels inclubs, bars, parties and discos.

Better urban planning can help in creating ‘No-Noise’ zones, wherehonking / hooting and industrial noise are not tolerated. It is onlywhen our understanding noise pollution is complete, can we takesteps to eradicate this issue completely.

Thank You.