From: ahasan Subject: It's beyond decibel in city Date: Sunday, September 19, 1999 7:24 PM It's beyond decibel in city Shattered calm brings nervous disorder The residents of the capital city of Dhaka are exposed to the risk of hearing debility and other health hazards like heart and respiratory problems due to high noise pollution, reveals a research report presented at a seminar yesterday. The report, presented by Dr Manash Ranjan Chakravarty of the National Centre for Hearing and Speech, says that noise pollution in different parts of the city ranges between 106.2 and 68 decibel while according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the highest acceptable limit is 60 to 65 decibel. The effect of noise pollution on human beings are auditory fatigue, loss of hearing, tinnitus, vestibular symptoms, interference with speech (first incapability of distinguishing consonant sound), irritation, impatience and short temper, distraction and lowered work productivity. Noise pollution also increases blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, mental stress and sleeplessness, rate of miscarriage and low birth weight, the report says. The seminar on "Noise Pollution in Dhaka City and Its Consequences" was organised by Sundar Jiban, a voluntary organisation, at NIPSOM auditorium in the city. Syed Marghub Murshed, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest, attended the seminar as the chief guest. Prof Inun Nishat, eminent water expert and Country Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor of The Bangladesh Observer, were present as special guests. Presided over by ZBM Bakhat, President of the Sundar Jiban, the seminar was also addressed by Md Sirajul Islam Molla, General Secretary of the organisation. According to the research report, the common sources of noise pollution in Dhaka city are automobiles (auto-rickshaw, tempo and buses), bus terminals, use of pressure horns, garment factories and other industries, rail station and airport, recreational noise like band music, walkman, uncontrolled use of loud speakers for selling lottery tickets, in restaurants and public meetings and by quacks, domestic noise ( from radio, TV, cassette player, washing machine, carpet and lawn cleaner) and electric generator in individual homes and shops. The report reveals that noise level measured in May-June, 1998 in different parts of Dhaka city are : Sayedabad Bus terminal - 106.2 decibel, Bangla Motor - 106 dB, SAARC Fountain (Kawran Bazar) - 104.3 dB, Farmgate - 104 dB, Mohakhali Crossing - 103 dB, Maghbazar - 103 dB, Mouchak Crossing - 102.7 dB, Gabtoli - 102.5 dB, Malibagh Crossing - 101 dB, Jatrabari - 99.6 dB, Tejgaon industrial area - 97 dB, Mirpur 1 - 97, Kakrail - 92 dB, Gulistan - 89.6 dB, Shapla Chhattar - 89 dB, Sadarghat - 87 dB, Mirpur 10 - 86 dB, Shahbagh (in between BSMMU and BIRDEM) -81 dB, Dhanmondi residential area - 78 dB, New Market - 78 dB, New Airport - 76 dB, Uttara - 73 dB, Gulshan R/A - 70 dB and Banani-Baridhara R/A - 68 dB. To check the noise pollution, the report recommends raising public awareness among the people, careful planning of city, control of vehicle and traffic noise (including halt to hydraulic horn), free hearing screening test, use of protection devices for exposed persons and noise reduction at the source by using new technology. Environment Secretary Syed Marghub Murshed said that though sound pollution in Dhaka city was much above the acceptable limit, this acute and obvious problem' escaped official attention. Very little had been done to deal with the problem of sound pollution, he said adding that the Ministry of Environment had taken steps to persuade the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka City Corporation to create silent zones in areas where there are schools and hospitals. "We have taken measures to ban the use of hydraulic horns. We are in the process of setting up Environmental Courts that will deal with pollution of every variety, including sound pollution," the Secretary said. He sought the cooperation of the NGOs and the representatives of the civil society in implementing pro-environmental programmes and enforcing pro-environmental laws. Prof Inun Nishat stressed the need for a civil movement to stop noise pollution. He suggested the construction of earthen, wooden or steel baffles besides highways, rail stations and airports to protect residential areas from noise pollution. (The Independent)