Everyone likes serene atmosphere and gets enthralled by a soothing musical note. Soothing music is okay, but what about the Sound Pollution from industries, traffic and many other sources? And How to Control Noise Pollution due to this growing urbanization, population etc? Let’s go through and make our best in saving our environment.
Animals like cows and buffaloes too produce more milk if soothing music is played for their ears. Many studies have revealed that the growth of trees is faster, their development is better and they bear more fruits if soothing music is played instead of producing noise.
In many cases, lunatics were kept in serene atmosphere while their treatment was on and that yielded better results.
In ancient days, the seers and hermits laid emphasis on silence and peace. They paid special attention towards ensuring that the place of their residence, study, practicing asceticism or meditation is peaceful.
The unwanted noise which is harmful for human health and which affects nature is called sound pollution. The capacity to listen and tolerate noise differs in case of different people of varying age.
Table of Contents
Causes of Noise/ Sound Pollution
Youth in the age group of 15 to 25 years contribute more in causing noise pollution. Urbanization, industrialization, population explosion, traffic, tele-communication and media, elections, marriages, festivals are some of the factors which increase sound pollution and impact living beings as well as lifeless objects.
Hazards/ Health Effects of Noise Pollution
Sound pollution poses several hazards. Too much of noise affects some parts of human brain which weakens memory. Noise disturbs our concentration.
School students cannot focus on studies due to noise. Old as well as young people feel irritated due to noise.
One has to speak loud due to noise which affects throat and respiratory system. Noise also affects hearing ability and causes ailments of ear.
Noise increases anxiety because of which one may suffer from high blood pressure or heart related ailments. Noise causes increased palpitation. It also increases level of psychological stress.
Noise affects functioning of arteries. One may suffer from symptoms like fatigue, shakey hands and trembling feet after even short work due to excessive noise.
We lose sleep due to noise. It may result in complications such as insomnia and ailments of eyes.
We suffer from headache due to noise. Too much of noise may even result in hemorrhage in the brain.
Noise affects development of fetus of pregnant women. Such women may deliver mentally underdeveloped children.
Sound waves cause vibrations which may be powerful enough to shake even the ground. This damages buildings and houses, reducing their life span.
Most nations have prescribed minimum and maximum tolerable sound pollution levels. Places like bedrooms and hospitals must have lowest noise levels. We must try reducing sound pollution.
Noise Pollution Control Measures
How to Control Noise Pollution? Have we ever thought of control this pollution? For this, We Need to Adopt Following Measures.
Dense growth of trees absorbs noise and reduces sound pollution. Therefore trees like neem (Indian Lilac / Azadirachta indica), banyan, pepal (sacred fig/ Ficus religious), tamarind should be planted on both sides of roads.
We must use earplugs or put cotton balls in ears while at places where noise levels are high.
Use of sound absorbing machines is advisable.
Battered vehicles, vehicles like trucks which produce high amount of sound should not be allowed to ply in residential areas and vehicles must have efficient silencers.
Horns producing loud sound should not be installed in vehicles.
Mechanical industries should be set up at a distance from city.
Growth of Population Must be Controlled
We must use bicycles or walk down to travel short distances. If possible we should travel by buses or share vehicles to reach work place instead of using separate vehicles.
Volume of radio, tape recorder, television etc should be kept low. If you are listening to radio or music system alone, use of earphones is advisable.
We must do away with the tradition of using loudspeakers and causing sound pollution on occasions like elections, marriages, festivals etc.
What is most important for us is to be wary of sound pollution and curb it whenever possible.
Padmavati Gupta
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