Leaders equate noise with a display of power

Noise pollution is primarily an issue of health, yet it is often sought to be made into a communal issue by politicians interested in continuing their own harmful practices for commercial or political gain.

The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules were enacted in 2000 to protect people from the harmful effects of noise, after the World Health Organisation documented the adverse health effects of noise on people. In spite of this, our cities are becoming noisier, because of the willful disregard of the law by politicians who equate noise with a display of political power.

Almost all urban residents are affected by the adverse effects of noise at some time or the other. Noise from various sources including traffic, construction, religious places, festivals, and so on, continuously affect people’s health in densely populated cities such as Mumbai. While some people are aware of the adverse impact this has on their health, others believe themselves immune, but they suffer high blood pressure, heart disease, mental illness or loss of hearing, without realising the cause. A school for deaf children has reported that at least ten of its students had gone deaf because of exposure to loud noise in their infancy.

Yet, politicians and other icons of society continue to endorse, sponsor or portray noise as desirable and an integral part of Indian culture. Until a few decades ago, loudspeakers did not exist, drums were much smaller and made of natural materials and had lower sound levels, while firecrackers were less noisier.

Our leaders and icons have let us down. They mislead crowds into believing that a few hours of exposure to loud noise is harmless, resulting in mothers exposing their infants, and even hospital patients suffering high noise levels from the celebrations in the vicinity. 
People are afraid to complain, and this fear is intensified by incidents like the one in Thane the other day, where cops allegedly beat up Pradeep Indulkar when he approached them to complain about noise pollution.

(The writer is founder of NGO Awaaz Foundation that is campaigning against all forms of pollution)