| Citizens are being increasingly bombarded with noise from just about everywhere, and as a result could suffer from stress and hearing impairment, among a range of physical and psychological problems, say health officials.
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| Citizens are bombarded by noise from a variety of sources.
Pic by Susantha Liyanawatte |
The noise can come from a variety of sources. It could be community noise, industrial noise, development activity noise, or traffic noise. All these are disturbers of the peace that all citizens are entitled to.
The offenders or noise-makers range from koththu roti makers to welders and construction and factory workers. The victims of all this noise include those responsible for the noise pollution.
“The majority of noise pollution victims show symptoms like hypertension, stress, lack of sleep, irritability, and they complain of buzzing or ringing noises in the ear,” Dr. Ms. Chandra Jayasuriya, consultant, Ear, Nose and `Throat (ENT) Surgeon, at the Colombo National Hospital.. “These people should have an audiogram test.”
Dr. Manaff Sheriff, consultant ENT surgeon at the Ragama Hospital, says that prolonged exposure to high levels of noise could cause tension headaches, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, impotence (as a result of high hormonal activity), irritability, inattentiveness, and sleeplessness.
Noise from motorcars and buses is on the rise, as more and more vehicles come on the roads, and drivers indiscriminately sound their horns.
Listening to music on headphones could also be damaging to the ear. While headphones are less extensively used in developed countries, they are heavily used in this country. “Young people who complain of difficulty concentrating on their studies are often heavy users of headphones,” Dr. Sheriff said.
Passengers in buses, including luxury buses on the Southern Expressway and the Jaffna-Colombo road, often complain of loud music as a major disturbance.
Referring to the loud music on a luxury bus using the Southern Expressway, a tourist said loud music is prohibited on public transport in developed countries. Passengers have a right to travel in peace, he said.
“Noise pollution is treated as a serious offence in developed
countries,” said K. Arasaratnam, Senior Superintendent of Police and Director of Traffic Administration and Road Safety. Under the Motor Traffic Act, persons sounding horns of above 85 decibels are liable for prosecution (decibels are a measure of sound intensity).
The Central Environment Authority (CEA) is working on a draft to set standards for permitted noise levels. When it is ready it will be submitted to the Cabinet.
“We are being advised by technology institutes like the ITI, and we will get down equipment to measure noise levels of car and bus horns and have the police enforce the law,” said B. M. U. D. Basnayake, secretary to the Ministry of
Environment.
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