TECHNO-LEGAL DIGEST ON NOISE POLLUTION- CAUSES, EFFECTS AND CONTROL

Noise pollution affects both health and behaviour of human beings and animals. Unwanted sound (noise) can damage psychological health. It can cause hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus (noises in the head, not related to any psychiatric condition), hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects. Sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation, or disrupts or diminishes one’s quality of life. Chronic exposure to noise may cause noise-induced hearing loss.

Older males exposed to significant occupational noise demonstrate, more significantly reduced hearing sensitivity than their non-exposed peers, though, the differences in hearing sensitivity decrease with age. High noise levels can lead to cardio-vascular problems. Exposure to moderately high levels during a single eight-hour period causes a statistical rise in blood pressure of five to ten points and an increase in stress as well as increased incidence of coronary artery disease. Less addressed issue is how humans adapt to noise subjectively. Indeed, tolerance for noise is frequently. independent of decibel levels.

The increasing ambient noise levels in public places from various sources, inter-alia, industrial activity, construction activity, generator sets, loudspeakers, public address systems, music systems, vehicular horns and other mechanical devices, have deleterious effects on human health and the psychological well-being of the people. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has enacted the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 to regulate and control noise producing and generating sources with the objective of maintaining the ambient air quality standard in respect of noise. This book provides commentary on the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules. This book also provides a comprehensive view of legislative and non-legislative framework for prevention and control of noise pollution.

In this book an effort has been made to explain various aspects of noise pollution, its effects on health, sources of noise pollution and measures to control noise pollution in a simple manner. This book has been written keeping in view the need of various stakeholders to control noise pollution and to generate mass awareness about pollution. Technicalities and cumbersome mathematical modelling and formulations have been avoided.