Noise Pollution, Perpetrator of Many Health Problems in Pakistan - by Naseem Sheikh

Noise has become a very important "stress factor" in the environment of man. The term "noise pollution" has been recently used to signify the hazard of sounds which are consequence of modern day development, leading to health hazards of different type.

Continuous exposure to high decibel noise can result in some adverse effects on your health. One of these hazards is acoustic trauma to the ears caused when they are subjected to the sound of an intensity of 85 dB or more without respite.
The health hazards of noise pollution can be categorized into physiological and psychological hazards. While the former includes hearing loss, hypertension, disturbance in sleep patterns etc., the later includes problems such as annoyance, aggression and stress.

According to a medical health guide lines, although high levels of noise for short time can lead to noise induced hearing loss early but usually 10 years of exposure is generally required for significant hearing loss to occur. This is preventable but irreversible. Hearing impairment is an increase in the threshold of hearing. Most commonly, noise-induced hearing loss involves injury to inner ear structures, particularly stereo cilia, the hair cells, and therefore known as a sensory neural hearing loss. Stereo cilia can be temporarily damaged by noise above 90db and permanent damage occurs with longer exposure. Excessive noise exposure during foetal life may result in high-frequency hearing loss in newborns. It can also cause tinnitus i.e. a ringing, roaring, buzzing, or clicking in the ears.

Most recent in human beings the major negative impact is insomnia (Sleep disturbance) which is root cause of many diseases, although more research is in progress. Healthy sleep is a prerequisite for good physiological and mental functioning. It may cause increased blood pressure, changes in heart rate and increased fatigue which may also lead to a devastating stress related conditions, noise above 80db may increase aggressive behaviour

Although most developed nations have government agencies responsible for the protection of the environment, no nation has a single body that regulates noise pollution. Transportation noise is usually regulated by the relevant transportation ministry, health-related work noise is often regulated by health ministries and worker's unions, and entertainment noise such as loud music is a criminal offence in many areas. Little is currently being done to reduce noise pollution in developed countries.
Impact of noise on aquatic animals;

This fact is proven by various studies in all major cities but the problem of noise pollution is also present in many smaller cities, from where no data is available.

Road Traffic Noise is another most widespread source of noise nuisance in the urban areas of Pakistan. The situation is getting alarming with increase in traffic density on city roads, particularly in Karachi.

According to Environmental Protection Agency, NWFP Government, campaign was started against noise pollution and use of pressure horns by public and private vehicles in Peshawar. During the whole campaign (1999-2002) total 3804 pressure horns were removed from 6068 vehicles in 178 working days. Moreover, this Agency have been checked 6630 Rickshaw for noise pollution during Jun-11997-2005, in which 3979 did not qualify the NEQS (85 db) while 2651 Rickshaws qualified NEQS.

According to a medical research of Pakistan (2008) almost 75% of public drivers in Lahore are affected by noise pollution, and more in Lahore.

Government of Punjab constituted a committee to address the issue of use of

Pressure horns in trucks and buses. A no. of meetings had been held in the past and more than 80% illegal

Horns were removed from intra city route buses of Lahoreon early 2001 but for other cities no action were taken now still mostly drivers use all types of horns to make their way easy to road.

Cities Names	Maximum Noise record levels db(A)	Minimum Noise record levels db(A)	Average	Sources
Gujranwala	100	41	72.5	JICA Report 2003
Faisalabad	100	47	72	Irfan, L.2002
Islamabad	104.5	47	72.5	Shaukat, L. 2002
Rawalpindi	108.5	48	72.5	Mehdi ,M.R.et al. 2002
Karachi	88.9	62.4	76.5	Tajik S.H. 2001
Peshawar	708.5	68.2	86	EPA

But what do governments do in a proactive way to inform their citizens about control of pollution. Under Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - which was agreed in 1992 and entered into force in 1994 - nearly 200 governments agreed to promote actions to develop and implement "educational and public awareness programs on climate change and its effects" according to motor vehicle rules, 1969's section 154,155 and 158 its government's responsibility to control all types of noise pollution.

As government level no, sufficient efforts are doing so its public's responsibility to take following few steps to control this pollution hazards.

Steps to reduce noise pollution: There is a dire need for legislation to control increasing noise pollution inside the city

• Plantation plays important role in reduction of noise pollution as plants absorbs noise of high frequencies. A dense ever green hedge even reduces noise of microphones by 20dB.
• Industrial areas and workshops must be out of cities as they produce high frequency waves of noise.
• Railway tracks, Aerodromes and highways must be located outside the cities.
• Vehicle must be free from pressure horn but having specific well performed vehicle silencers.
• Vehicle conditional checking made compulsory.
• Strict rules and regulation must be there as recently in Pakistan no specific legislation present to control noise; most important is if rules would make their application made strictly applicable.
• More Scientific research and knowledge must be promoted to know the reality behind the noise and all types of sounds.
• Public awareness is very essential and important for control of pollution of noise. For this television, radio, internet and newspapers should run campaigns for wide publicity.
• Noise monitoring team must be prepared which perform their duty along with traffic police to control vehicle noise pollution from the vehicle engine and horns.
• Blue areas must be declared as silence zone same ruled must be applied near hospitals and schools areas.