Noise troubles? Seek money from govt: HC The HC said the failure of law enforcement agencies in implementing noise pollution rules was a violation of a citizen’s fundamental right
​MUMBAI Updated: Sep 08, 2016 00:03 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times
Citizens can claim compensation from the state if their complaints about noise pollution have gone unheard, the Bombay High Court (HC) said .
A division bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice Amjad Sayed said the failure of law enforcement agencies in implementing noise pollution rules was a violation of a citizen’s fundamental right. The order, issued on August 16, was published on the court’s website on September 5. The court will hear the matter again on October 4 to discuss details about the compensation citizens can claim. 
“We hold that any breach of the Noise Pollution Rules shall amount infringement of fundamental right of citizens under the Article 21 of the Constitution of India and apart from the other remedies available, the citizens will have right to seek compensation from the state within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution of India on account of breach of fundamental rights,” read the order. 
The court gave the order while hearing a group of petitions that raised concerns over increasing noise pollution and the lack of law enforcement by the police and other government agencies. One of the public interest litigations (PILs), filed by Dr Mahesh Bedekar, an anti-noise campaigner from Thane, said noise pollution rules were not followed during festivals like Ganeshotsav, Navratri and dahi handi, and the police did not investigate complaints about the violation of noise pollution rules. 
Bedekar said the HC order was significant. “For the first time, the court has made someone accountable for noise pollution complaints and it will have long-term benefits for citizens,” said Dr Bedekar, adding that as per Article 12 of the Indian Constitution, authorities right from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ward offices to state government bodies such as the environment department are accountable if no punitive action is taken against offenders. 
He said the current festival season is the best time for citizens to seek compensation. “If there is no actions for noise pollution complaints, citizens can now appeal to the government under the Right to Information (RTI) Act,” said Bedekar, adding that if the police had failed to take action, the complainant would be entitled to compensation.
Anti-noise campaigner Awaaz Foundation said it will collect complaints from citizens, along with details of police action and draft a compliance report that will be presented in court on October 4. “It’s a strong incentive for the government not to squander money by paying compensations through this. If they do not take action, they may have hundreds of compensations to pay out,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. “The court also directed the state government to take action against officers who do not implement the Noise Rules.” 
Abdulali wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday highlighting the order. “Awaaz Foundation will maintain an independent record of complaints and will independently monitor noise levels during all festivals. The court has made it clear that these orders will apply to all religions equally,” she said.
Help the cops
Citizens can assist the police by downloading decibel meter apps. According to the recent HC order, citizens can use Whatsapp and email to make anonymous complaints. “Citizens’ complaints and police action will form a record for a compliance report to HC in October,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation.

Kids set off firecrackers in Mumbai during Diwali, the festival of light. Danish Siddiqui/ReutersThe Fight to Shush India's Booming Festival Season
​CHRYSELLE D'SILVA DIAS  SEP 8, 2016
The most celebratory months tend to be the loudest.
Sumaira Abdulali measures decibel levels around Mumbai year-round, carrying her meter to rallies and festivals. Her insistence on noise control measures has prompted a government officer to call her the Minister of Noise.  
Some months are louder than others. In September, India’s festival season begins in earnest. Throughout Ganesh Chaturti, idols of Lord Ganesh, the Remover of Obstacles, are installed in homes and neighborhood mandals (temporary booths with large installations of the idol) across India. For 10 days, the elephant-headed god is worshipped with offerings of food, milk, and flowers before being taken in a procession to be immersed in a body of water. This season of celebration continues until Holi, the festival of spring and color, in March.
It’s almost six months of celebrations, decorations, and firecrackers. There’s a lot of fun. There’s also a lot of noise.
Abdulali’s Awaaz Foundation is especially busy now, as her Gods Against Noise campaign is aimed at curbing noise during the festive season. Abdulali has been a crusader against noise pollution in Mumbai since 1995. She was instrumental in loudspeakers being banned in Mumbai between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and also in the creation of “silence zones” of 100 meters around schools, hospitals, and religious institutions, among other places.

The Gods Against Noise campaign is a watchdog, especially on guard during the loud festival season. Sumaira Abdulali carries a decibel meter with her. (Sumaira Abdulali/Awaaz Foundation)The noise at festivals like Ganesh Chaturti or Diwali routinely crosses 100 decibels, nearly double the permissable maximum of 55 dB—the sound of normal conversation—in residential areas. Multiple loudspeakers blaring amplified Bollywood hits or devotional songs are commonplace around the idols of Ganesh. Firecrackers after prayers or during processions up the noise level, potentially disorienting and upsetting children, the elderly, and pets. Mumbai has around 1,300 official mandals that have received permission from the state government and several more that haven’t gotten permission or didn’t apply.
In 2005, the Supreme Court of India banned the use of loudspeakers after 10 p.m. This guideline, however, is relaxed for fifteen days of the year including specific festivals and holidays; Abdulali says that the “silence zones” are often disregarded during this time, too, even though local courts have recently reiterated the rules.
“Our fight against noise is a health issue,” says Abdulali. “There’s a lot of awareness about blindness, for example, but not much about hearing loss and how it affects us.” Prolonged exposure to noise, she says, is linked to both short-term and long-term problems, ranging from impaired sleep to cardiovascular disease.

Related Story

Why City Noise Is a Serious Health HazardAn audiologist explains why it's so much more than a mere annoyance.

Abdulali is a big believer in the power of data. She collects information about decibel levels and offenders through social media. “People can use any noise-measuring app to record decibel levels and then send us the data to our Facebook page, where we will collate it on a Citizen’s Noise Map,” she says.
Though Abdulali says she’s rarely felt unsafe during her work on noise pollution, she’s received threats and intimidation tactics in response to other activism around illegal sand mining. That inspired her to form MITRA (Movement Against Intimidation, Threat, and Revenge Against Activists), a network of NGOs to protect people involved in grassroots activism. With noise pollution, though, spectators “are often curious about what I am doing and are interested in knowing more,” she says. “This has been consistent over the years: people are willing to listen to you.”
People have apparently been listening to Abdulali’s pleas to turn down the noise. Abdulali’s data indicates that noise levels have indeed dropped in the last six years, and at one festival, she recorded a 117 dB, down from a previous high of more than 125 dB. Social media is also playing an important role, as people share articles about noise pollution’s negative effects and use hashtags such as #HornFlu. Around Diwali, many campaigns promote the festivity as one of light, not sound.
Abdulali’s efforts have also resulted in the government of Maharashtra banning the use of the “Horn OK Please” signage on the rear of trucks and buses across the state, on the grounds that it encourages unnecessary honking. She also received unexpected support from the Mumbai police, who helped organize a No-Honking Day in August.
Encouraging people to celebrate more quietly is an uphill task, but progress is heartening. “It’s becoming apparent that noise is a serious health hazard,” Abdulali says. And she hopes that Mumbai is on the road to recovery.

About the Author
Chryselle D'Silva Dias

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Chryselle D'Silva Dias is a freelance writer based in Goa, India. She has written for Time, the BBC, VICE, Marie Claire India, and Guardian Weekly, among others. Visit her at www.chryselle.net.

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Awaaz starts people's campaign against noise
Awaz Foundation members at the launch of ‘Gods Against Noise’, the first campaign under ‘Your Voice against Noise’
 VIRAT A SINGH | Thu, 1 Sep 2016-07:55am , DNA
Initiative is to make citizens act as pressure group on govt to ensure implementation of rules 
Enthused by the rising number of people and citizen groups raising their voice against increasing noise pollution, Awaaz Foundation has initiated a collaborative campaign, 'Your Awaaz against Noise', asking Mumbaikars to act as a pressure group on state government to ensure all the rules pertaining to anti-noise pollution laws are followed.
Sumaira Abdulali, convenor of Awaaz Foundation, said that in last one year the number of people who have come out on the streets against noise pollution — be it honking or noise due to religious functions — has gone up and this means the awareness we have been trying to spread since a long time is bearing fruit. "People question us about what can they do, and to solve it we decided to initiate this campaign, which can be used by people like a platform for raising various issues related to noise pollution in their neighbourhood. We will be equipping them with all information as well as anti-noise pollution laws and material required for campaigning," said Abdulali adding that they felt a strong need for such a collaborative campaign.
The first campaign under the 'Your Voice against Noise' announced is 'Gods Against Noise', keeping the festival season in mind.
"Politicians are accusing us that we are against religion or religious festivals but we want to tell them that no religion has ever preached creating loud noise that affects and disturbs others. In fact, we want to urge politicians to encourage their people to avoid using DJs, musical instruments and amplifiers during visarjan days has serious implication on the health of people," said Dr Mahesh Bedekar, a Gynecologist who runs a hospital in Thane and had filed a PIL against the noise during religious festivals. He also cited the example of Kolhapur where some politicians had decided to do away with noisy processions during Ganeshotsav and it was the right example to follow.
Bedekar said that till now individual people have been fighting against noise pollution, which was the reason why it was being ignored and hence under this campaign when citizens join in large number and begin carrying out not only awareness but also seeking implementation of the rules even the government machinery. "There has been several studies that have proved that loud noise has serious impacts on the health of pregnant women as well as the foetus.," he said.
Dr MV Jagade, an ENT surgeon from JJ Hospital, said that they have seen that the number of cases of complete hearing as well as partial hearing loss spiraling in last few years. "Noise pollution is huge concern as it causes several ailments including cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension and others that can have long term impact. One of the immediate thing it can cause it irritability and increase stress and hence it's high time people wake up and accept that it's a serious issue and begin taking measures including practicing that they themselves will not be contributors to noise pollution," he said.


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• Awaaz Foundation
• Noise Pollution
• Ganeshotsav
• Maharashtra Government

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Cops must go after organisations to curb noise menace: Sumaira Abdulali​
 PRANALI LOTLIKAR CHINDARKAR | Thu, 25 Aug 2016-08:00am , DNA
​Anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali said that in India, involvement of political parties in these matters further encourages people to violate the norms. 
While the Mumbai police attempt to enforce the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act by taking strict action against individual violators, experts feel this won't do much to curb the nuisance of noise pollution, as in that case, mostly organisations are involved. They furthet claimed that these organisations don't take police action in individual cases seriously.
Anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali said that in India, involvement of political parties in these matters further encourages people to violate the norms. "I remember in 2008, as many as 600 cases of sound pollution were registered against various organisations in Mumbai. To my knowledge, however, political leader Ajit Pawar ordered the state to withdraw all those cases," she said.
She further said that while prosecuting individual accused, the government's intention should be sincere. "Now that the law is stringent enough and the police have already started acting against individuals, they should not go on the back foot while criminalising such people and organisations," she said.
Abdulali added, "The immediate step that the police need to take is to seize the equipment of such organisations and then file a criminal case against the trustees and the workers. The issue of noise pollution is not as simple as it appears. It can cost an ailing person his or her life. It takes a toll on infants as well. So, it is high time to get serious now."

TAGS

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• Ajit Pawar
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• Environment (Protection) Act
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Schoolchildren join fight against noiseToyoja Upadhyay| TNN | Aug 17, 2016, 12.36 AM IST
Mumbai: Students of Trinity International, Sion (E), and Little Angels High School, King Circle, participated in Times of India's 'No Honking Drive' initiative in collaboration with Awaaz foundation and Times Newspaper in Education (NIE). The sessions were curated by Sumaira Abdulali, founder of Awaaz Foundation, and aimed at educating students about the effects of sound pollution.

The 'No Honking Drive' has been visiting schools as studies show children are most susceptible to excessive sound pollution. The students listened in rapt attention as they began to realize the magnitude of the threat that sound pollution poses.

Deafness, inability to concentrate on academics, aggression and irritation are just some of the symptoms caused by sound pollution. Saisudha Narayan, principal of Little Angels High School, makes it a point to educate her students about the impact of sound pollution.

"It is important that we maintain appropriate decibel levels because the eardrums are incredibly sensitive to noise. Over time, we could lose our hearing and in extreme cases of sound pollution, our eardrums could even burst," she said.
​
Mumbaikars have a lot to worry about since Mumbai has been declared as the noisiest city in the world according to the WHO. Abdulali said, "While it is true that during festivals and parties we see a steep rise in decibel levels, honking is the biggest contributor to sound pollution since it occurs all year round."

Vinita D'souza, ex-officio secretary of Trinity International, had to make her point over the sounds of blaring horns from the nearby road despite being seated in her air-conditioned cabin. "I try to address sound pollution at every opportunity I get. Schools are supposed to be a part of silent zones but often they are the nosiest spots due to honking and traffic jams caused by school buses, parents' vehicles and, rickshaws, taxis and hawkers. I have made parents take a pledge to address sound pollution. For the students, as an incentive, we have introduced some healthy competition by telling them that whichever house keeps noise to the minimum will be rewarded with points. Hopefully thanks to TOI's initiative, we will see some change."

New DP ignores silence zones, noise mapping, NGO tells BMC chief
​The last time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a plan for Mumbai, experts pointed out several errors, and it had to be withdrawn
​MUMBAI Updated: Jul 11, 2016 01:40 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times
Mumbai - 31st December 2010 - BMC Headquaters office at CST - HT Photo by Hemant Padalkar(Hindustan Times)









Five months after Mumbai was adjudged the noisiest city in India, a city-based non-profit has complained to the civic body, accusing it of not identifying Silence Zones or introducing noise abatement strategies as a part of its draft development plan.
In a complaint sent to the civic body chief Ajoy Mehta and other members of the development plan committee on Sunday, anti-noise campaigners, Awaaz Foundation, highlighted that all proposals under the revised draft development plan (DP) 2034 were planned without incorporating a baseline noise-mapping study.
The last time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a plan for Mumbai, experts pointed out several errors, and it had to be withdrawn. Earlier this year, the BMC released a revised DP, which promised to address concerns while proposing new measures for development.
“Many proposed projects appear to raise already unhealthy noise levels. Silence Zones are not marked,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. “The revised DP permits urban helipads and restaurants atop private rooftops and roads through Silence Zones, which will further increase noise levels.”
This was the second time the NGO submitted suggestions and objections to the corporation after concerns were ignored in the first draft DP. “A noise mapping study of Mumbai needs to be conducted at the earliest and its findings need to be integrated into the new DP before finalisation,” said Abdulali.
Former civic chief, V Ranganathan said both DPs prepared in terms of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act did not address the serious issue of noise pollution at all. “The government needs to identify primary sources for noise, develop methodologies for mapping and highlight their significance in the DP. They need to find out what is being done abroad to mitigate such issues,” he said. 
However, senior officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said noisy activities can be estimated from the current plan. “It can be understood from the revised DP that marked sites such as public areas, educational establishments, religious places and hospitals are silence zones and noise can be monitored accordingly,” said Uma Adusumilli, chief of planning, MMRDA. “Hence, noise mapping need not be incorporated in the DP. It could be an independent exercise.”
Civic officials said they welcomed the suggestions, but only a review committee can incorporate changes in the proposal after July 29. “A six- to seven-member review committee will consider what changes can be made in the current proposal. The team will consist of officials from the state government and the municipal corporation,” said a senior official in charge of revising the development plan, on condition of anonymity.

New DP ignores silence zones, noise mapping, NGO tells BMC chiefThe last time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a plan for Mumbai, experts pointed out several errors, and it had to be withdrawn
​MUMBAI Updated: Jul 11, 2016 01:40 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times
Mumbai - 31st December 2010 - BMC Headquaters office at CST - HT Photo by Hemant Padalkar(Hindustan Times)
Five months after Mumbai was adjudged the noisiest city in India, a city-based non-profit has complained to the civic body, accusing it of not identifying Silence Zones or introducing noise abatement strategies as a part of its draft development plan.
In a complaint sent to the civic body chief Ajoy Mehta and other members of the development plan committee on Sunday, anti-noise campaigners, Awaaz Foundation, highlighted that all proposals under the revised draft development plan (DP) 2034 were planned without incorporating a baseline noise-mapping study.
The last time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a plan for Mumbai, experts pointed out several errors, and it had to be withdrawn. Earlier this year, the BMC released a revised DP, which promised to address concerns while proposing new measures for development.
“Many proposed projects appear to raise already unhealthy noise levels. Silence Zones are not marked,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. “The revised DP permits urban helipads and restaurants atop private rooftops and roads through Silence Zones, which will further increase noise levels.”
This was the second time the NGO submitted suggestions and objections to the corporation after concerns were ignored in the first draft DP. “A noise mapping study of Mumbai needs to be conducted at the earliest and its findings need to be integrated into the new DP before finalisation,” said Abdulali.
Former civic chief, V Ranganathan said both DPs prepared in terms of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act did not address the serious issue of noise pollution at all. “The government needs to identify primary sources for noise, develop methodologies for mapping and highlight their significance in the DP. They need to find out what is being done abroad to mitigate such issues,” he said. 
However, senior officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said noisy activities can be estimated from the current plan. “It can be understood from the revised DP that marked sites such as public areas, educational establishments, religious places and hospitals are silence zones and noise can be monitored accordingly,” said Uma Adusumilli, chief of planning, MMRDA. “Hence, noise mapping need not be incorporated in the DP. It could be an independent exercise.”
Civic officials said they welcomed the suggestions, but only a review committee can incorporate changes in the proposal after July 29. “A six- to seven-member review committee will consider what changes can be made in the current proposal. The team will consist of officials from the state government and the municipal corporation,” said a senior official in charge of revising the development plan, on condition of anonymity.

Jun 26 2016 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Roaring bikes multiply in neighbourhoods, but just 18 riders fined for nuisance this yr 
Ahmed Ali 


While bikes with modi fied exhaust pipes that can wake up the dead with their ear-defeaning firing sound are on the rise, the number of bikers who are being booked for riding them has been on the decline over the past few years.This year till date, merely 18 bikers have been booked for the offence and fined Rs 6,000 compared with 56 cases and Rs 20,500 collected in fine in 2015--again a dip from 77 persons booked and Rs 28,000 penalty collected in 2014.These bikes are a major source of noise pollution in the city. TOI has been running a campaign against noise pollution in association with Awaaz Foundation.
Few in the city are aware that any alteration to a factory model is illegal under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.Any alteration that results in an up to 10% increase in the weight of a vehicle must be done with the manufacturer as well as the regional transport office's consent.
While changes to exhaust pipes are not allowed, removing the catalytic converter, a component fitted to the exhaust pipe, is the easiest way to boost a bike's vroom. Tuning the engine and changing the brake sys tem is another method.
According to mechanics, noisy silencers are imported from Bangkok, Taiwan and China and priced anywhere between Rs 8,000 and 35,000.These can be fitted onto cars too. “In India, copies of original imported silencers are created to meet increasing demand from youngsters.These copies are manufactured in Delhi and Agra and sold in various cities. Apart from these silencers, there are also boosters that are forcibily fitted on to a bike's silencer to create bike racinglike sounds,“ said Akleem Ansari alias `Chhoto Mechanic' from Agripada. Most of those who modify their bike silencers are in the age group of 18 to 25.
There is much demand for copies of silencers manufactured in Punjab, Jaipur, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune. While silencers from Punjab are said to be the noisiest and mostly meant for Bullet bikes, those from Jaipur and Bangalore emit a typical racing bike-like sound. “Silencers made in Pune, on the other hand, produce the least noise. There is a huge demand for silencers from Pune--but from those who detest noise,“ said Waqar Khan, a mechanic from Vakola in Santacruz. The police and transport departments have turned a blind eye to the flourishing illegal business, except in Bangalore where cops have cracked down on noisy bikes.
In Mumbai, several citizens, particularly seniors, have written to police authorities on how bikers have destroyed the peace in their neighbourhood.
Satish Seth, a Kalina resident, says whenever residents call up the main police control room to complain against noisy bikes, cops take down the details but by the time they arrive, the errant biker vanishes. “After the cops are gone, they return on the streets, which they use as a racing track. Most of these bikers disturb us late in the night when we are trying to catch up on sleep after a hard day's work,“ said Shamim Siddiqui from Santacruz East. 

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'Now citizens must come forward, wake up authorities’Jun 20, 2016, 11.42 PM ISTI ndia is among the noisiest countries in the world and Mumbai is the noisiest city in India. But it was after a court order in 2003 when a journalist published my phone number on the front page of The Times of India and I was deluged by calls pleading for help against deafening noise that I realized how it affected people. I once saw a hysterical mother pleading with a crowd to stop beating those drums because her infant started convulsing as soon as the drumbeat began. An old woman living alone once told me she could hear the firecrackers in a procession approaching and was trembling in anticipation of the sound. She wanted reassurance that she would make it through the next several hours.
Noise pollution caught the attention of the Supreme Court when a 13-year-old girl in Chennai was raped and her screams for help were not heard due to loudspeakers. When I started measuring noise in 2003, encouraged by my mentor Saad Ali, who provided me with a hand-held meter, there was no data at all on noise levels of common sources, including festivals, religious places, traffic or construction in Mumbai. Saad Ali, Dr Yeshwant Oke and Dr P N Rao had worked on the noise control policy, yet noise pollution was not commonly understood as the health hazard it is and people believed noise was an integral part of city living, impossible to control.
A few people, however, showed the courage to come forward and do more. Shivaji Park residents were among the first to seek help to make the area a silence zone. After a brave Ashok Rawat joined them, a PIL was filed to reclaim the peace in their neighbourhood. Dr Mahesh Bedekar, a doctor from Thane, was next and, in spite of threats from politicians and goons, made first the city of Thane and then the entire state of Maharashtra accountable to noise rules during festivals.
Various other citizens contributed too: from Javed Khan and residents of Maple Towers who battled against noise from construction of a building to Irfan Machiwala and Bhagyashree Kelkar who controlled noise from Mahim Fair and Ajay Marathe who took on a mosque and a church in Navi Mumbai.
Perhaps the most touching contributions were by three children, Sahil Parab, Harsh Mahadikar and Aniruddh Chaudhary, aged 11 to 12 years, from the BDD Chawl in Parel who measured noise on their father's phone, even hitching a ride on a truck to Andheri to cover as much area as they could. Sadly their 12-year-old leader showed significant hearing loss, probably noise induced, when Awaaz Foundation along with Vibha Shah of AURED tested their hearing.
I believe most people feel a need to give back to society and professional pro bono contributions are invaluable, particularly to an unfunded NGO like Awaaz Foundation. Our lawyer Ishwar Nankani offered pro bono support at a time when noise was a little known subject in 2002. Ishwar not only volunteered his own work and his entire office pro bono but continued to bear expenses through the years. Our PIL of 2003, filed with Dr Yeshwant Oke, Dr P N Rao and the Bombay Environmental Action Group restricted loudspeaker use in silence zones for the first time. Awaaz's PIL of 2007 brought noise from traffic, construction and urban planning into public consciousness for the first time and succeeded in stopping use of urban helipads atop buildings. Noise mapping was proposed and sound barriers made mandatory on all new flyovers.
Josy Paul was another who offered help when his fledgling advertising agency BBDO India was run out of a small rented office. As he gained in stature through his award-winning campaigns, he continued to support and most of his office has periodically worked to make the anti-noise message stronger for awareness and enforcement.
So where do we go from here? The Times of India has done great service to citizens' health with their present campaign 'Noise Annoys.' Citizens need to participate actively in it by downloading a free noise meter on their phone and making informed complaints to the Police and on the #GetWellSoonMumbai facebook page. I sincerely hope active participation will motivate police and government to control traffic, construction, loudspeaker and firecracker noise. I also hope this will help wake up the authorities to the need for integration of noise control measures in future urban planning through a noise mapping study which will be integrated into the new Development Control Plan of Mumbai.
(The writer is an activist whose NGO, Awaaz Foundation, has spearheaded the fight against noise pollution)
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NEXT STORYVehicles in India make a lot more sound than abroadNandini Sen Gupta| TNN | Jun 20, 2016, 11.32 PM IST
MUMBAI: Indian vehicles are probably much louder than automobiles elsewhere in the world. According to auto industry experts, India's noisecutoff for horns — at 93 decibel (dB), according to the Central Motor Vehicle Rule (CMVR) 119 — is in line with international standards, but the top end of the noise range — at 112dB — is higher. Also, a lot of vehicularnoise is caused by air horns and multi-toned horns, as TOI campaign in association with Awaaz Foundation has highlighted. The import or local production of these air horns is not controlled or monitored.

Auto experts say the 93-112dB horn noise level for vehicles in India — measured at a distance seven metres from the position of a horn and at a height of 0.5 to 1.5 metres — was on par with EU standards until recently. The "EU has recently revised this standard wherein the upper limit has been kept unaltered at 112dB but the lower limit has been revised to 87dB," said C V Raman, executive director, engineering, Maruti Suzuki. "This, despite the fact that ambient noise in European cities in much lower than in India." Raman said the problem of horn noise was aggravated by frequent and unnecessary use of horns on Indian roads.

Apart from honking, vehicular noise is measured in two categories. There is vehicle passby noise — measured at about 10 metre distance at 50kmph full throttle in second or third — which can come from engine, powertrain, exhaust system or tyre rolling. CMVR 120 offers a cutoff of this, which varies from 80dB for petrol two-wheelers to 91dB for passenger and commercial vehicles above 12,000kg weight (see table). Then there is stationary noise for which there is currently a proposal for Indian regulations with 3.9dB as the cutoff.

Part of the problem of vehicular noise is also the use of multi-tone horns, which are not permitted on normal motor vehicles. "After-market fitment of pressure/ multi-toned horns is a common phenomenon and there's is no enforcement to penalize the errant," said Raman. "As per the Motor Vehicle Rules, multi-toned horns are not permitted to be fitted but due to lack of enforcement, such horns are readily available in the market."

Indeed, a recent National Green Tribunal order over the Dilip Nevatia case resulted in the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) proposing a much lower noise cutoff for multi-tone horns and sirens than allowed. "The cutoff here was 10dB over vehicle engine noise but engine noise is not measured in India, only passby noise is," said a SIAM source. This not only created confusion over cutoff but also over permitted horn noise range. The trouble is 10dB over and above the passby cutoff (say 82 dB for cars) would be much lower than the 93-112 dB range for vehicle horns right now.

The matter is now under consideration of an expert committee set up by MPCB. Meanwhile, a draft notification for an Ambulance Code for sirens has been prepared by the ministry of road transport and highways where the range is 110-120 dB.




NEXT STORYTraffic cops who need to rein in noise polluters are themselves at highest risk of hearing loss: StudyNitasha Natu| TNN | Jun 20, 2016, 11.30 PM IST
C onstable Hemant Joshi cringes every time a car horn blares at Sion junction where he is posted to supervise trafficmovement. Joshi was among 17 traffic police personnel who underwent a preliminary test for hearing loss in October last year, conducted through Awaaz Foundation and AURED, which works with hearing-impaired children. He and 10 other cops showed signs of hearing loss in either one or both ears and were asked to see a doctor for detailed analysis.

It's ironic but traffic police who can play the most influencing role in keeping noise levels down, are also the worst sufferers of the problem. Constant exposure to honking takes a huge toll on them. "Some of the effects of exposure to loud sound are irritability and headache. But an affected person may not connect these symptoms to hearing loss and may not seek expert advice," says Dr Hetal Marfatia, ENT surgeon at KEM Hospital.

Joshi (38) says his hearing problem started when he worked in the ammunition section of the Mumbai police. "Constant sound of gunfire affected my hearing. It worsened as I joined the traffic branch. Every time a vehicle, fitted with a shrill horn, honks as it passes by, I feel distinctly uncomfortable," he says. "Shrill horns and reverse horns are illegal. But booking every offender is impossible as traffic movement cannot be halted."

Constable Shivaji Kamble (53) had also shown signs of hearing loss in the test conducted last year. Like Joshi, Kamble too hasn't seen a specialist yet. "Our job is very demanding and involves spending long hours on the road. We hit the bed as soon as we reach home. Where is the time to see a specialist?" asks Kamble, who has spent 32 years in Mumbai police, three of which were in the traffic department. Incidentally, Kamble chose to join traffic police despite undergoing a surgery for a ruptured eardrum less than a decade ago. "I understand that being surrounded by noisy vehicles is only increasing my problem but it was my desire to serve in the traffic department before I retire. I have two more years of service left," he says.

The traffic department conducts medical workshops from time to time for its personnel. On May 31, Indian Medical Association held a lecture on noise pollution and its effects at the Jogeshwari traffic outpost. Cops say it would be welcome if a solution were thought of. Constable Joshi, for instance, was not even aware of the seriousness of his hearing problem until he took the test. "Better traffic management, where motorists do not honk, would be the best solution. Motorists follow rules abroad, so there's no reason to not follow it in India. Special ear plugs, like those designed for musicians, may work. These don't affect the quality of work but only muffle the sound," says Dr Marfatia.

A checkup camp conducted by Thane traffic police in association with Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Association of Medical Consultants in 2014 showed that 42% of 556 traffic constables suffered from varying degrees of hearing loss.





‘Now citizens must come forward, wake up authorities’Jun 20, 2016, 11.42 PM ISTI ndia is among the noisiest countries in the world and Mumbai is the noisiest city in India. But it was after a court order in 2003 when a journalist published my phone number on the front page of The Times of India and I was deluged by calls pleading for help against deafening noise that I realized how it affected people. I once saw a hysterical mother pleading with a crowd to stop beating those drums because her infant started convulsing as soon as the drumbeat began. An old woman living alone once told me she could hear the firecrackers in a procession approaching and was trembling in anticipation of the sound. She wanted reassurance that she would make it through the next several hours.
Noise pollution caught the attention of the Supreme Court when a 13-year-old girl in Chennai was raped and her screams for help were not heard due to loudspeakers. When I started measuring noise in 2003, encouraged by my mentor Saad Ali, who provided me with a hand-held meter, there was no data at all on noise levels of common sources, including festivals, religious places, traffic or construction in Mumbai. Saad Ali, Dr Yeshwant Oke and Dr P N Rao had worked on the noise control policy, yet noise pollution was not commonly understood as the health hazard it is and people believed noise was an integral part of city living, impossible to control.
A few people, however, showed the courage to come forward and do more. Shivaji Park residents were among the first to seek help to make the area a silence zone. After a brave Ashok Rawat joined them, a PIL was filed to reclaim the peace in their neighbourhood. Dr Mahesh Bedekar, a doctor from Thane, was next and, in spite of threats from politicians and goons, made first the city of Thane and then the entire state of Maharashtra accountable to noise rules during festivals.
Various other citizens contributed too: from Javed Khan and residents of Maple Towers who battled against noise from construction of a building to Irfan Machiwala and Bhagyashree Kelkar who controlled noise from Mahim Fair and Ajay Marathe who took on a mosque and a church in Navi Mumbai.
Perhaps the most touching contributions were by three children, Sahil Parab, Harsh Mahadikar and Aniruddh Chaudhary, aged 11 to 12 years, from the BDD Chawl in Parel who measured noise on their father's phone, even hitching a ride on a truck to Andheri to cover as much area as they could. Sadly their 12-year-old leader showed significant hearing loss, probably noise induced, when Awaaz Foundation along with Vibha Shah of AURED tested their hearing.
I believe most people feel a need to give back to society and professional pro bono contributions are invaluable, particularly to an unfunded NGO like Awaaz Foundation. Our lawyer Ishwar Nankani offered pro bono support at a time when noise was a little known subject in 2002. Ishwar not only volunteered his own work and his entire office pro bono but continued to bear expenses through the years. Our PIL of 2003, filed with Dr Yeshwant Oke, Dr P N Rao and the Bombay Environmental Action Group restricted loudspeaker use in silence zones for the first time. Awaaz's PIL of 2007 brought noise from traffic, construction and urban planning into public consciousness for the first time and succeeded in stopping use of urban helipads atop buildings. Noise mapping was proposed and sound barriers made mandatory on all new flyovers.
Josy Paul was another who offered help when his fledgling advertising agency BBDO India was run out of a small rented office. As he gained in stature through his award-winning campaigns, he continued to support and most of his office has periodically worked to make the anti-noise message stronger for awareness and enforcement.
So where do we go from here? The Times of India has done great service to citizens' health with their present campaign 'Noise Annoys.' Citizens need to participate actively in it by downloading a free noise meter on their phone and making informed complaints to the Police and on the #GetWellSoonMumbai facebook page. I sincerely hope active participation will motivate police and government to control traffic, construction, loudspeaker and firecracker noise. I also hope this will help wake up the authorities to the need for integration of noise control measures in future urban planning through a noise mapping study which will be integrated into the new Development Control Plan of Mumbai.
(The writer is an activist whose NGO, Awaaz Foundation, has spearheaded the fight against noise pollution)
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NEXT STORYVehicles in India make a lot more sound than abroadNandini Sen Gupta| TNN | Jun 20, 2016, 11.32 PM IST
MUMBAI: Indian vehicles are probably much louder than automobiles elsewhere in the world. According to auto industry experts, India's noisecutoff for horns — at 93 decibel (dB), according to the Central Motor Vehicle Rule (CMVR) 119 — is in line with international standards, but the top end of the noise range — at 112dB — is higher. Also, a lot of vehicularnoise is caused by air horns and multi-toned horns, as TOI campaign in association with Awaaz Foundation has highlighted. The import or local production of these air horns is not controlled or monitored.

Auto experts say the 93-112dB horn noise level for vehicles in India — measured at a distance seven metres from the position of a horn and at a height of 0.5 to 1.5 metres — was on par with EU standards until recently. The "EU has recently revised this standard wherein the upper limit has been kept unaltered at 112dB but the lower limit has been revised to 87dB," said C V Raman, executive director, engineering, Maruti Suzuki. "This, despite the fact that ambient noise in European cities in much lower than in India." Raman said the problem of horn noise was aggravated by frequent and unnecessary use of horns on Indian roads.

Apart from honking, vehicular noise is measured in two categories. There is vehicle passby noise — measured at about 10 metre distance at 50kmph full throttle in second or third — which can come from engine, powertrain, exhaust system or tyre rolling. CMVR 120 offers a cutoff of this, which varies from 80dB for petrol two-wheelers to 91dB for passenger and commercial vehicles above 12,000kg weight (see table). Then there is stationary noise for which there is currently a proposal for Indian regulations with 3.9dB as the cutoff.

Part of the problem of vehicular noise is also the use of multi-tone horns, which are not permitted on normal motor vehicles. "After-market fitment of pressure/ multi-toned horns is a common phenomenon and there's is no enforcement to penalize the errant," said Raman. "As per the Motor Vehicle Rules, multi-toned horns are not permitted to be fitted but due to lack of enforcement, such horns are readily available in the market."

Indeed, a recent National Green Tribunal order over the Dilip Nevatia case resulted in the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) proposing a much lower noise cutoff for multi-tone horns and sirens than allowed. "The cutoff here was 10dB over vehicle engine noise but engine noise is not measured in India, only passby noise is," said a SIAM source. This not only created confusion over cutoff but also over permitted horn noise range. The trouble is 10dB over and above the passby cutoff (say 82 dB for cars) would be much lower than the 93-112 dB range for vehicle horns right now.

The matter is now under consideration of an expert committee set up by MPCB. Meanwhile, a draft notification for an Ambulance Code for sirens has been prepared by the ministry of road transport and highways where the range is 110-120 dB.





NEXT STORYTraffic cops who need to rein in noise polluters are themselves at highest risk of hearing loss: StudyNitasha Natu| TNN | Jun 20, 2016, 11.30 PM IST
C onstable Hemant Joshi cringes every time a car horn blares at Sion junction where he is posted to supervise trafficmovement. Joshi was among 17 traffic police personnel who underwent a preliminary test for hearing loss in October last year, conducted through Awaaz Foundation and AURED, which works with hearing-impaired children. He and 10 other cops showed signs of hearing loss in either one or both ears and were asked to see a doctor for detailed analysis.

It's ironic but traffic police who can play the most influencing role in keeping noise levels down, are also the worst sufferers of the problem. Constant exposure to honking takes a huge toll on them. "Some of the effects of exposure to loud sound are irritability and headache. But an affected person may not connect these symptoms to hearing loss and may not seek expert advice," says Dr Hetal Marfatia, ENT surgeon at KEM Hospital.

Joshi (38) says his hearing problem started when he worked in the ammunition section of the Mumbai police. "Constant sound of gunfire affected my hearing. It worsened as I joined the traffic branch. Every time a vehicle, fitted with a shrill horn, honks as it passes by, I feel distinctly uncomfortable," he says. "Shrill horns and reverse horns are illegal. But booking every offender is impossible as traffic movement cannot be halted."

Constable Shivaji Kamble (53) had also shown signs of hearing loss in the test conducted last year. Like Joshi, Kamble too hasn't seen a specialist yet. "Our job is very demanding and involves spending long hours on the road. We hit the bed as soon as we reach home. Where is the time to see a specialist?" asks Kamble, who has spent 32 years in Mumbai police, three of which were in the traffic department. Incidentally, Kamble chose to join traffic police despite undergoing a surgery for a ruptured eardrum less than a decade ago. "I understand that being surrounded by noisy vehicles is only increasing my problem but it was my desire to serve in the traffic department before I retire. I have two more years of service left," he says.

The traffic department conducts medical workshops from time to time for its personnel. On May 31, Indian Medical Association held a lecture on noise pollution and its effects at the Jogeshwari traffic outpost. Cops say it would be welcome if a solution were thought of. Constable Joshi, for instance, was not even aware of the seriousness of his hearing problem until he took the test. "Better traffic management, where motorists do not honk, would be the best solution. Motorists follow rules abroad, so there's no reason to not follow it in India. Special ear plugs, like those designed for musicians, may work. These don't affect the quality of work but only muffle the sound," says Dr Marfatia.

A checkup camp conducted by Thane traffic police in association with Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Association of Medical Consultants in 2014 showed that 42% of 556 traffic constables suffered from varying degrees of hearing loss.