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Noise Pollution An Overview

Renesha Singh and Govind Pandey*
ABSTRACT: The study aims to review the problem of noise pollution in the wake of its ill effect on the life of the people. The survey
of the noise levels in various cities of India point out that main sources of noise pollution are loudspeakers and traffic. Major effects of
noise pollution include interference with the communication, sleep disturbances, and reduced efficiency. Generally, a request to
reduce or stop the noise is made out by the aggrieved party. However, complaints to the administration and police have also been
accepted as a way of solving this menace. Public education appears to be the best method as suggested by the respondents.
KEY WORDS: Noise Pollution, Sound, Leq dB, India, CPCB, Population, Sustainable development .
INTRODUCTION
Noise is defined as unwanted sound. The word noise is
derived from Latin word, Nausea. Noise may be defined as
wrong sound in the wrong place, at the wrong time [1].
Noise Pollution is one the major concern in some countries
while a neglected dimensions in the other [2]. It is more a
problem because we are often used to it at the cost of peace
and discipline and even sometimes health. Thus may not seem
to be, but it definitely disturbs our whole system and often we
become a part of it knowingly or unknowingly. Various
studies have been done in this area at different places, using
different methods, by different authors.
AMBIENT NOISE
It is the total noise associated with a given environment and
usually comprises sounds from many sources both near and far
field. Indoor and outdoor noise may together combine to form
background noise which adds even more to noise in the
environment.
Sources
The sources of outdoor may be construction sites, road traffic
or the noise generated from aircrafts and trains. The noise
generated from industries and factories are responsible for
this. Further, the indoor noise may have sources like phones,
television, electrical and other appliances.
Author: Renesha Singh is currently pursuing
Master of Technology program in Environmental
Engineering in MMM. Engg. College, Gorakhpur
India, E-mail: renesha0017@gmail.com
*Co-Author: Govind Pandey is Associate Prof. in
MMMEC
Gorakhpur
India,
E-mail:
pandey_govind@rediffmail.com

The main factors of noise pollution are considered as

population and urbanization, which if controlled all the
sources will be a little contributor to the noise pollution.
Effects
The exposure to noise levels beyond the permissible limits for
a long duration may cause adverse effects on human health,
birds, animals, and property. This includes the effect on
physical, mental health as well as other behavioral effects.
The effect on physical health may be hearing impairment,
cardiovascular disturbances, and pregnancy complications.
The recent studies have suggested that noise levels of around
50 dB(A)at night may also increase the risk of myocardial
infarction or acute myocardial infarction (often known as
heart attack by the common people) by chronically elevating
cloistral (a hormone produced in adrenal gland) production.
Pathak et al., (2008) in his study concluded that traffic noise
became main reasons of headache, high blood pressure and
other stresses among the exposed persons in their working
places in Varanasi City [3]. Studies have also shown that
exposure to excessive noise during pregnancy may result in
high-frequency hearing loss in newborns, and may be
associated with prematurity and intrauterine growth
retardation, along with cochlear damage.
The sleep disturbances due to noise of any type can have hard
impact on mental health and downfall in working efficiency of
a person. Other behavioral effects may include impaired task
performance, annoyance reactions and personal comfort.
Tinnitus, defined as the sensation of sound in the absence of
an external sound source resulting in ringing type sound, is
also an adverse effect [4]. Interrupted noise may also result in
accidents. WHO studies have shown the several effects on
species like birds and other animals [5].

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Control
Any noise problem can be defined in terms of source,
transmission path and receiver (in this context, a worker) and
noise control may take the form of altering any one of these or
all of these elements [6]. Reducing noise at domestic level,
prohibition of loud speakers, maintenance of machines and
speaking in low voice may deliberately reduce the noise at
source.
Installation of barriers and green belt development which has
already been implemented in some countries can prove to be a
good method of controlling noise in transmission path.
Routing of traffic in a proper manner may also diverge the
path of noise. The protection equipments and job rotations of
workers may reduce the exposure of noise to workers at
receiver level.

On the basis of location of these sites, they were categorized

in industrial, commercial, residential and silent zones
respectively. The average noise level at industrial,
commercial, residential and silence area were 74.27 dB (A),
65.53 dB (A), 58.78 dB (A) and 50.12 dB (A) respectively.
The results showed that there was an enhanced pressure of
noise at all sites due rise in the number of vehicles. All the site
study showed sound levels greater than the prescribed limits of
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Table 2: Ambient air quality standards in respect of noise

Prevention
As said prevention is better than cure, after controlling the
noise, prevention of noise by regularly monitoring can be a
good thought. Public cooperation can be obtained by
providing proper education regarding the effects and control
of noise to the people. Awareness of it can be a good
prevention step.
NOISE SCENARIO IN INDIA
Problems of pollution along with noise pollution are
increasing with time especially due to increase in number of
vehicles for transportation. Continuous monitoring of noise
levels was carried out in 2011 at six different sites in the
Kolhapur City [7].
Table 1: Status of Noise levels in various zones in
Kolhapur City

Chauhan et al., (2010) showed higher level of noise pollution

in residential, commercial, silent and industrial zones of
Moradabad city [8]. Chauhan and Pandey, (2010) also found
higher level of noise pollution in different selected zones of
Dehradun city of state of Uttarakhand [9]. Ganwar et. al.,
(2006) also reported that noise level in Bareilly was slightly
higher than prescribed limit of the Central Pollution Control
Board of India [10]. Kisku et. al., (2006), too reported that in
residential areas, noise ranged between 66.7 to 78.8 and 52.9
to 56.3, in commercial cum traffic areas 74.9 to 84.2 and 68.1
to 74.7 and in industrial areas 76.8 to 77.2 and 73.2 to 73.1 dB
(A) during day and night time respectively at Lucknow city
[11]. Highest noise levels ranging between 82-92 dB (A) was
recorded in commercial locations, 65.5-75.6 dB (A) in
residential areas, 65.1-75.2 dB(A) in silence zone in Guwahati
city of Assam by Wazir Alam, (2011) [12].
The minimum and maximum noise levels reported ranged
between 56.5 to 102.3 dB at all the selected sites in the
residential zone of Haridwar city [13]. In case of commercial
zone the minimum and maximum SPL ranged between 56.7 to
108.9 dB. On the other hand at all selected industrial zone the
maximum and minimum SPL ranged between 52.4 to 65.8 dB.

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The main reasons behind the increasing noise levels were

considered as more and more registration of vehicles by
Tandel Bhavan et. al.(2011).

Figure 1: The map showing noise level in dB (A), between

7 am to 9 in Guwahati
However in the case of all selected silent zone the maximum
and minimum ranged between 45.0 to 87.8 dB as reported by
Chauhan Avinashet al. (2010). Similar, noise increment was
recorded in Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh by Renesha Singh
(2013), the reasons behind given traffic and indiscipline
among the mob and the noise variations were shockingly as
high as 180% specially in silent zone [14].

Figure 3: Growth of vehicles registered at Surat city [15]

CONCLUSION
Due to urbanization, there is a huge increase in the vehicular
population on the urban corridors. In India, transportation
demand in urban areas continues to increase rapidly as a result
of both population growth and changes in travel patterns.
During the first decade of the 21st century only, the urban
areas in the country confront a historic transportation crisis
that has become a planning war against increasing mobility
gridlock and noise pollution. The researchers seem to be
alarmed by this pollution making space in the society now
with much increasing rate. However, still a lot needs to be
done for sustainable development like awaking people and
implementing the Noise Act, 2000 before it is too late and we
are gripped in this pollution also like we have been in other
types of pollution.
REFERENCES

Figure 2: Silent Zone Noise Level deviations of Day and

Night hours in percentage in Gorakhpur City

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Pathak V, et al. (2008). Evaluation of traffic

noise pollution and attitudes of exposed

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