Pune doctors warn people of dangers

On one hand as the state government has allowed the use of loudspeakers till midnight on the 10th day of Ganesh festival, ENT surgeons and audiologists say it is like adding fuel to the fire as decibel levels during Ganesh festival are already higher than desired.

In last few years, the data recorded by both Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shows that there is no respite in noise levels during Ganesh festival with the highest levels being on the day of the immersion.

According to rules, the permissible noise level during the day is 50dB in silence zones and 55dB in residential areas. However, doctors say that noise levels during Ganesh festival are often much higher and every year, cases of people suffering from noise induced deafness, tinnitus or ringing sensation in ear and prolonged pain are increasing.

Worried doctors are asking people to take precautions to avoid common complaints during festivals. “The people most at risk and often most careless are traffic police and volunteers posted during the festival. They are continually exposed to loud sound but they don’t take any precautions. At least few are known to land up with transient or permanent noise-induced hearing loss. The other vulnerable group is youngsters who often are dancing closes to loudspeakers as a sudden blast of high intensity sound can be extremely harmful,” said ENT surgeon Dr Vandana Joshi.

Residents living in vicinity of Ganesh mandals should also adopt precautionary measures.

“Despite issuing advisory every year, our OPDs are full of such patients. While permanent hearing loss is not so common, pain in ear, numbness, ringing sound and even other symptoms like headache, dizziness or even sleep disturbances are common. The first advice is to keep away from such areas as far as possible. Ensure you don’t stand next to a loudspeaker. Wear a ear plug if you are a volunteer or visiting mandals and for prolonged exposure, ear muffs are best precaution,” said Dr Seemab Shaikh, ENT surgeon at KEM and Inamdar Hospitals.