For the past week, thousands of residents of New Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area have been enjoying a good night’s sleep, a luxury they’ve fought hard to win
For the past week, thousands of residents of New Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area have been enjoying a good night’s sleep, a luxury they’ve fought hard to win. After they approached the Delhi high court for respite against noise pollution near the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the HC directed airport authorities to stop noisy flights during the night. The authorities, in turn, assured the court as well as the residents that starting November 1, the airport would stick to a 95 decibel (dB) noise limit in the night, the lowest in the world.
The Director General of Civil Aviation has issued a circular to all operators at IGIA to follow the rule. It has also started taking measures to reduce noise pollution further and a committee has been formed in this regard. The committee comprises IIT professors and scientists.
In Mumbai, people living near the airport have not been so lucky. In the absence of court orders and a similar petition by Mumbaikars, an action plan like the one implemented at the Delhi airport still remains a pipe dream in the city.
Shiv Sena leader Jitendra Janawale, who filed a complaint over noise pollution in Santa Cruz police station a month ago, said, “We have written to GVK (the company running the Mumbai airport) but to no avail. We have measured noise near the airport to be as high as 105dB between 7am and 9am. Many hospitals are in the vicinity. Patients and newborns are the most affected. Teachers and students of Sane Guruji Shala nearby are disturbed every 7-8 minutes. We are not against the airport but efforts should be made to reduce the noise here when Delhi airport is doing so.”
On the other hand, Krishna Hegde, an MLA who resides in the funnel area of the airport in Vile Parle, voiced his concern but insisted that citizens have become immune to the noise.
However, activist K Haridass, a resident of Daulatnagar in Santa Cruz, which is not only close to the airport but also the Pawan Hans helipad and ONGC airbase, said: “We have been unable to sleep until late midnight since ages. Will the government wake up now?”
Lalit Gupta, deputy director, DGCA, told DNA: “Pollution comes under the purview of the Central Pollution Control Board. At IGIA, we have taken action on directions from the environment ministry and the high court. If we get any request from Mumbai airport, or Maharashtra, we will definitely act... The action plan in Delhi cannot be replicated in other cities since every airport has a different topography.”
Manik Nagia, vice-president, corporate communication and media, GVK, said: “As of now, we don’t have a plan. But if there is any change at the policy level, we will work on that. Noise is a global concern now. Next-generation aircraft will have in-built noise barriers and then we won’t need to enforce any rule.”
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