Oped»
Noise pollution
APR 25 -
One of my neighbours complained that his child is often disrupted in her sleep by the terrible sound of a modified bike owned by a boy living nearby. While his child usually sleeps till eight, since the boy drives his loud bike at 6:30 am daily through neighbourhood to get to college, the irritating sound of the bike wakes his daughter without a full night’s rest. It results in a big tension on the part of her parents too because as soon as she is disturbed, she cries for hours with nobody able to stop her.
Noise pollution is a displeasing human, animal or machine created sound that disrupts the activity or a balance of human or animal life. It is an unwanted and offensive sound that unreasonably intrudes into our daily activities. Sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation or diminishes one’s quality of life. The unwanted sound can have an adverse effect on human health. It can damage our physiological and psychological health by causing annoyance and aggression, hypertension, temporary or permanent hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, fright, distraction, tinnitus and loss in productivity. Research has shown that there is direct link between noise and health. Exposure to constant or high levels of noise can cause countless health problems.
In comparison with developed countries, developing countries like Nepal are facing more noise pollution because of poor urban planning and unmanaged transportation systems. The emergency service sirens, office equipment, factory machinery, construction work, generators, barking dogs, audio entertainment systems, loud speakers, schools in residential areas are all sources contributing to noise pollution. In Nepal, it is true that many people are unaware of noise pollution and its major consequences on one’s overall health. The fact behind this is that unlike other types of pollution, such as air pollution or water pollution, noise pollution can’t be seen, tasted or smelt.
If we want to live without the aforementioned health problems, mitigating solutions should soon be adopted. The government should make certain rules for controlling unwanted noise. Vehicles horns should be restricted up to a certain frequency and high frequency horns should be banned from the market. Educational programmes should be organised to increase awareness about noise pollution and its effect on human life. It is wise to keep factories far from residential areas. Ambulances should use sirens that produce less sound. Similarly, the people attending a party or any feast should be aware that the sound produced there may be of some harm to others. Furthermore; students, employees, drivers, etc. should be educated about noise pollution in masses. The ones who violate the rules should be punished by imposing a fine.
Posted on: 2010-04-26 07:17
Headlines
Advertisements
