Noise Pollution:

What is noise?
In simple terms, noise is unwanted sound sound or sound, which produces unpleasant effects
on the ears. Sound is a form of energy which is emitted by a vibrating body and on reaching
the ear causes the sensation of hearing through nerves. Sounds produced by all vibrating
bodies are not audible. The frequency limits of audibility are from 20 HZ to 20,000 HZ.

Noise may be continuous or intermittent. Noise may be of high frequency or of low

frequency which is undesired for a normal hearing. For example, the typical cry of a child
produces sound, which is mostly unfavorable to normal hearing. Since it is unwanted sound,
we call it noise.

Sources of Noise :

1. Household gadgets like mixer, grinder, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, cooler, air
conditioners, greatly enhance the levels of sound and are deleterious to health.
2. Loud speakers not only disturb the students in their studies but also the peace of the
locality. Loud radios, stereos and televisions are also a major source.
3. Printing presses, industries, vehicles on road, aero planes contribute to noise
pollutions in large cities.

How Noise is computed?

The intensity of sound is measured in sound pressure levels (SPL) and common unit of
measurement is decibel, dB. The community (ambient) noise levels are measured in the A -
weighted SPL, abbreviated dB(A). This scale resembles the audible response of human ear.
Sounds of frequencies from 800 to 3000 HZ are covered by the A - weighted scale. If the
sound pressure level, L1 in dB is measured at r1 meters, then the sound pressure level, L2 in
dB at r2 meters is given by,

Effects of Noise Pollution:

Hearing:
The immediate and acute effect of noise pollution is impairment of hearing. Damage to the
eardrum can be caused by impulsive loud sounds or by prolonged exposure to noise. Long
exposure to loud noise may result in hearing loss which may become permanent.

Effects on general health:

Why bother about noise? Often neglected, noise induces a severe impact on humans and on
living organisms. Some of the adverse effects are summarised below.

1. Annoyance: It creates annoyance to the receptors due to sound level fluctuations.The

aperiodic sound due to its irregular occurrences causes displeasure to hearing and
causes annoyance.
2. Physiological effects: The physiological features like breathing amplitude, blood
pressure, heart-beat rate, pulse rate, blood cholesterol are effected.
 3. Loss of hearing: Long exposure to high sound levels cause loss of hearing. This is
mostly unnoticed, but has an adverse impact on hearing function.
4. Human performance: The working performance of workers/human will be affected as
they'll be losing their concentration.
5. Nervous system: It causes pain, ringing in the ears, feeling of tiredness, thereby
effecting the functioning of human system.
6. Sleeplessness: It affects the sleeping there by inducing the people to become restless
and loose concentration and presence of mind during their activities
7. Damage to material: The buildings and materials may get damaged by exposure to
infrasonic / ultrasonic waves and even get collapsed.

Control of Noise Pollution:

Noise generation is associated with most of our daily activities. A healthy human ear
responds to a very wide range of SPL from - the threshold of hearing at zero dB,
uncomfortable at 100-120 dB and painful at 130-140 dB(3). Due to the various adverse
impacts of noise on humans and environment (See LO-5), noise should be controlled. The
technique or the combination of techniques to be employed for noise control depend upon the
extent of the noise reduction required, nature of the equipment used and the economy aspects
of the available techniques.

The various steps involved in the noise management strategy is illustrated at Fig 4. Reduction
in the noise exposure time or isolation of species from the sources form part of the noise
control techniques besides providing personal ear protection, engineered control for noise
reduction at source and/or diversion in the trajectory of sound waves.

Noise Control at Source:

The noise pollution can be controlled at the source of generation itself by employing
techniques like-

Reducing the noise levels from domestic sectors: The domestic noise coming from radio,
tape recorders, television sets, mixers, washing machines, cooking operations can be
minimised by their selective and judicious operation. By usage of carpets or any absorbing
material, the noise generated from felling of items in house can be minimised.

Maintenance of automobiles: Regular servicing and tuning of vehicles will reduce the noise
levels. Fixing of silencers to automobiles, two wheelers etc., will reduce the noise levels.

Control over vibrations: The vibrations of materials may be controlled using proper
foundations, rubber padding etc. to reduce the noise levels caused by vibrations.

Low voice speaking: Speaking at low voices enough for communication reduces the excess
noise levels.

Prohibition on usage of loud speakers: By not permitting the usage of loudspeakers in the
habitant zones except for important meetings / functions. Now-a-days, the urban
Administration of the metro cities in India, is becoming stringent on usage of loudspeakers.
Selection of machinery: Optimum selection of machinery tools or equipment reduces excess
noise levels. For example selection of chairs, or selection of certain machinery/equipment
which generate less noise (Sound) due to its superior technology etc. is also an important
factor in noise minimization strategy.

Maintenance of machines: Proper lubrication and maintenance of machines, vehicles etc.

will reduce noise levels. For example, it is a common experience that, many parts of a vehicle
will become loose while on a rugged path of journey. If these loose parts are not properly
fitted, they will generate noise and cause annoyance to the driver/passenger. Similarly is the
case of machines. Proper handling and regular maintenance is essential not only for noise
control but also to improve the life of machine.

Environmental Laws and Acts

Constitutional Provisions & Environment :

• Art 21 “Right to pollution free environment.”
• Art 48-A “The state shall endeavor to protect & improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests and wildlife of the country.
• Art 51-A (g) “duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment
including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”
Environmental Legislations
1. General 2. Forest and wildlife 3. Water 4. Air
1) General
• 1986 - The Environment (Protection) Act authorizes the central government to protect
and improve environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources, and
prohibit or restrict the setting and /or operation of any industrial facility on environmental
grounds.
• 1989 - The objective of Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules is to
control the generation, collection, treatment, import, storage, and handling of hazardous
waste.
• 1998 - The Biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules is a legal binding on
the health care institutions to streamline the process of proper handling of hospital waste such
as segregation, disposal, collection, and treatment.
• 2000 - The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 apply to
every municipal authority responsible for the collection, segregation, storage, transportation,
processing, and disposal of municipal solid wastes.
• 2002 - The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) (Amendment) Rules lay down
such terms and conditions as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, permit use of loud
speakers or public address systems during night hours on or during any cultural or religious
festive occasion.

2) Forest and wildlife

• 1927 - The Indian Forest Act and Amendment, 1984, is one of the many surviving
colonial statutes. It was enacted to ‘consolidate the law related to forest, the transit of forest
produce, and the duty leviable on timber and other forest produce’.
• 1972 - The Wildlife Protection Act, Rules 1973 and Amendment 1991 provides for the
protection of birds and animals and for all matters that are connected to it whether it be their
habitat or the waterhole or the forests that sustain them.
• 1980 - The Forest (Conservation) Act and Rules, 1981, provides for the protection of
and the conservation of the forests.
• 2002 - The Biological Diversity Act is an act to provide for the conservation of biological
diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising out of the use of biological resources and knowledge associated with it.
3) Water :-
• 1974 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act establishes an institutional
structure for preventing and abating water pollution. It establishes standards for water quality
and effluent. Polluting industries must seek permission to discharge waste into effluent
bodies. The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) was constituted under this act.
• 1977 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act provides for the levy
and collection of cess or fees on water consuming industries and local authorities.
• 1978 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules contains the
standard definitions and indicate the kind of and location of meters that every consumer of
water is required to affix.
• 1991 - The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification puts regulations on various activities,
including construction. It gives some protection to the backwaters and estuaries.
• 2010 – Wetland Rules
4) Air :-
• 1982 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules defines the procedures of the
meetings of the Boards and the powers entrusted to them.
• 1987 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act empowers the
central and state pollution control boards to meet with grave emergencies of air pollution.

Environment Protection Act, 1986

• "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter- relationship which exists among
and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants,
microorganism and property
• "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;
• "environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental
pollutant; Environment Protection Act, 1986
• "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment,
package, storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale,
transfer or the like of such substance;
• “hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its
chemical or physio-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings,
other living creatures, plant, micro-organism, property or the environment;
• "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the
affairs of the factory or the premises and includes in relation to any substance, the person in
possession of the substance; Requirements under EPA
• Sec 7- no person carrying on any industry, operation or process shall discharge or emit or
permit to be discharged or emitted any environmental pollutant in excess of such standards as
may be prescribed
• Sec 8 – no person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in
accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be
prescribed Interface with Planning - Issues and Challenges • Siting criterion • National park/
Sanctuary • Floodplain • CRZ • Sewage • Alteration to topography • Siting STP • MSW •
Siting • Common facilities such as slaughter house, TSDF, green areas, pavements, C and D
waste, biomedical waste, dairy, markets • Roads, flyover, bridges – air and noise