Noise Pollution at near A Silence Zone

Comment

Comment by PUSHKAR RAJ CHANDNA on June 26, 2011 at 12:32am

High decibels mar NOIDA city's peace

Noise Pollution Act empowers the Central government to plan and execute a countrywide programme for the prevention, abatement, and control of environmental pollution. State governments are the enforcement authorities, but the authorities are insensitive for the past more than 11 years the Act was in acted and nothing seems to be working on the ground.  

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/High-decibels-mar-cit...

Comment by PUSHKAR RAJ CHANDNA on June 9, 2011 at 4:26pm

Pollution Body Deaf to Noise:

Environmental activists in the Chandigarh city say that high ambient noise levels reflected UT government's failure to implement noise control rules. ''When it comes to implementation of noise norms, pollution control committee and police tend to be casual. We had complained several time against the people who used powerful motorcycles and pressure horns in the midnight, but they did not do anything. http://ning.it/mQbQXk Pollution Body Deaf To Noise

Comment by PUSHKAR RAJ CHANDNA on June 6, 2011 at 3:33pm

Traffic noise has become a major environmental concern in urban areas witnessing high traffic congestion. Sources of noise in urban areas are primarily unnecessarily honking of horns, vehicular engines, exhaust systems, aerodynamic friction and tyre-pavement interaction. Traffic noise is affected by factors like traffic volume and speed, vehicle mix, pavement type and vehicle conditions.  http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/pollution/more-cars...       

Comment by PUSHKAR RAJ CHANDNA on May 27, 2011 at 9:34am

Let,s talk of Traffic nuisance: If we listen to these tapes, and while traveling on the road - there are many types of noises made by vehicles. Firstly, Many of our CVs and buses are fitted immediately on delivery with pressure horns. - These are not allowed as per the law. If we observe carefully, we will find the school/ college buses are also fitted with pressure horns. These institute are the foundations for character building.  Our children travel in these buses - how many times did we point this out during our PTA meetings. Can't we and our teachers/ Professor do something about it. There is also laxity on the part of the regulators to eliminate this. I wrote/ requested to the SP traffic police to write letters to all the schools to remove these banned horns. Kudos, They have started it.

Why can't we completely ban the manufacture, supply/sale and installation of these pressure horn as we are trying to control nuisance of plastic bags?

 

Secondly, Many of our vehicles particularly three wheelers engine make noise, which could be controlled at the manufacturing stage itself.So, Tata, Mahindras, Bajaj, Munjals and others have also to play there role as well.

Thirdly, continuous honking habitually - which will only can be treated through awareness. How many of us have the convictions not to honk horns unnecessarily while self driving. Furthermore, when accompanying our friends or traveling in a taxi/car/ charted buses - how many times have we asked the drivers not to horn unnecessarily and remove the pressure. Honking is in our DNA - so we write at the back of our vehicle - "Horn please to get the side."

How many times, we found that private vehicles are fitted with beacon lights and musical horns- have we ever told them to not to 'show off'. Why can't our topmost policy advisers (Ex MOEF man), suggest/talk only about reduction of air pollution being caused by these vehicles stranded during traffic jams, and is conveniently silent about the noise pollutions, though associated with preparation/drafting of Noise Pollution Act.

Noise pollution is a killer - needs to be strongly dealt.

Comment by Dr. Nandini Joshi on May 27, 2011 at 8:12am

Wooow Mr. Chandna!!! Put like that, it seems as if our anti-noise legislations pack a punch!!! lol. However there are limitations.

 

The traffic noise that you are referring to is broadly classified under ambient community noise. In India, occupational noise is governed under the Factory Act, 1948 whereas the ambient noise norms have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.  With reference to noise generated by vehicles, it is normally controlled in the manufacturing stage. State-designated nodal agencies implement notified noise norms at manufacturing stage for vehicles, generator sets etc. Hence, once a vehicle is on the road, there is nothing much a state can do; to mitigate noise generated by it .One option could be a mandatory scrapping of a car more than 10 yrs old. However I don’t know if financially, the common man in India is ready for this.

 

But hold on!!!There is no need to lose hope.lol. There is another area where we can mitigate transport noise substantially, and that is by training Indian drivers to minimize the blowing of horns.

Comment by PUSHKAR RAJ CHANDNA on May 24, 2011 at 6:07am

Penal provisions: The violation of the provisions of rule 170 (1) or 114a (ii) (vii) of U.P. Motor Vehicles rules, 1993 / rule 178 (1), Motor Vehicles rules, 1990 or of regulation 21(i) (ii) (iv) the rules of the road regulations, 1989 or of rule119 (1)(2)(3), CMVR'89 would constitute an offence punishable under S.177 MVA'88.

The violation of the aforementioned provisions may also be charged under s.190 (2) MVA'88 that prescribes a stiffer punishment for the offender, especially in cases of use of pressure horns or unduly loud or shrill horns

Any person who drives or causes or allows to be driven, in any public place a motor vehicle, which violates the standards prescribed in relation to …control of noise… shall be punishable

• For the first offence with a fine of Rs.1000/- and
• For any second or subsequent offence with a fine of Rs.2000/-

Section 190 (2), mva'88

The blowing of pressure horns/musical horns or the sounding of horns in zones declared as silence zones (by the competent authority) may not only be an offence under MVA'88, but also be in violation of the noise pollution (regulation and control) rules, 2000 and be punishable under section 39, air pollution control act, 1981.

Section 39, Air Pollution Control Act, 1981

Penalty for contravention of provisions of the air pollution control act, 1981: whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this act or any order or direction issued there-under, for which no penalty has been elsewhere provided in this act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine, which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both, and in the case of continuing contravention, with an additional fine which may extend to five thousand, rupees for every day during which such contravention continues after conviction for the first such contravention.

Comment by Dr. Nandini Joshi on May 24, 2011 at 5:16am

As per the Noise Pollution(Regulation & Control) Act - 2000, a police complaint will have to be filed with a noise level report attached to it.

 

In case of a zone being declared as silent & yet having high ambient noise levels, you will first have to find out who the special officer ( at the commissioner level if im right)appointed as the competent authority to address noise complaints is and go meet him personally along with a noise level report.

Comment by GOPI KANTA GHOSH on May 24, 2011 at 3:46am

This is common...we are fond of killing ourself...