HYDERABAD: Noise is one of the biggest pollutants in modern cities, but the risk is often overlooked despite it being linked to many health issues. According to data provided by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), noise levels recorded in different parts of the city have been constantly above the national standard levels prescribed for residential, commercial, industrial and sensitive zones.
There are 11 real-time noise monitoring stations in the city. While Abids, JNTU, Paradise and RC Puram come under the commercial zone, Jubilee Hills and Tarnaka are residential areas. Jeedimetla, Gaddapotha and Sanathnagar lie under the industrial area, and the Zoo Park and Gachibowli come under the sensitive area. Unfortunately, in the city, the noise pollution levels in most of these stations have been remaining consistently above the permissible limits for the past few years.
Going by the data procured by the TSPCB, the noisiest areas in the city are commercial areas, with JNTU, Abids, and Paradise recording the highest noise pollution levels. According to the data till August 2019, the noise level in the commercial areas stands at around 71 db during the day and around 70 db during the night, against the permissible limit of 65 db in the day and 55 db in the night. In sensitive areas of Hyderabad, it is 60 db during the day and 58 db during the night. This is as against the permissible limit of 50 db in the day and 40 db in the night.
Speaking to Express, a senior official from the TSPCB said: “The noise pollution levels in city have been constantly high for the last few years. However, as of now, the numbers have also increased slightly.” Claiming that the biggest prevailing source of noise pollution in the city is from vehicles, he said: “Indiscriminate usage of horns is one of the major reasons for noise pollution, and this continues to rise due to the increase in density of vehicles here.”
“We have asked the government to install sound limiters in the city,” said the official. Sound limiters are devices that limit the level of maximum sound that can be generated by an equipment.
