Noise Standards

Context: The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT’s) decision to increase the penalties for violating noise pollution norms in Delhi is a good step to rein in this rapidly escalating menace. 

Steps taken for checking Noise Pollution:

• Revised Penalties: which entail fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh, seizing the noise-making equipment, and a jail term of up to five years.
• Compliance Norms: in the form of The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The permissible levels of noise at different places have been capped at below 80 decibels. These limits are: 

• 55 decibels during daytime and 45 decibels at night in residential areas.
• 75 (daytime) and 70 decibels (night) in industrial belts, and 50 (daytime). 
• 40 decibels (night) in silence zones around hospitals and educational institutions.

• Committee Setup: by the NGT headed by a retired judge of the Delhi High Court to oversee compliance with noise standards. 
• Monitoring Mechanism: in the form of National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network, established in 2011 in seven mega cities — Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Mumbai

Negative Impacts of Noise Pollution:

• Health Consequences: Prolonged exposure to sounds louder than 80 decibels, even if it is music, can impair hearing and lead to temporary or permanent deafness.

• High-pitched music in cars and resto-bars is emerging as a key cause for ear-related ailments among the youth.
• Excessive noise can also cause hypertension, heart problems, neurological disorders, sleep disturbances, and stress.

• Reduced Productivity: In workplaces, high-decibel sound can hamper employees’ concentration, affecting their efficiency and output.

Challenges:

• Continued flouting of norms: Civic bodies continue to either overlook the infringements of the prescribed levels of noise or leave the violators after issuing inconsequential warnings.

• Lack of monitoring capacity: Only 70 monitoring stations have come up till since the establishment of National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network in 2011.

Way Forward:

• Need to treat Noise Pollution on par with other pollution: in terms of deterrent and punitive action.
• Creation of mass awareness: about the ill effects of noise on human health.
• Deploy Sound-proofing and sound-muffling mechanism: to mute noise under different situations.
• Restricting horn-honking and encouraging proper maintenance of vehicles can reduce the din on city roads.

• The noisiness of vehicles should also be checked while issuing the pollution control certificates for them.