Noise pollution poses severe health hazard

Sound pollution poses as a severe health hazard in the city. On city streets sound pollution are caused by hydraulic horns of vehicles.

Because of this sound pollution people who stay on roads for long hours are exposed to a number of health risks from hypertension and digestive problem, say experts.

Prof Sirajul Haq of cardiology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said noise pollution and overcrowding are the major causes of hypertension, heart attack and stroke.

"Normally, noise pollution aggravates most of the ailments related to blood pressure.
It also affects people's behavioural pattern," he said.

Noise pollution has already exceeded the tolerable level in Dhaka city.

Drivers are continuously crossing the limit at several points of the city defying the Department of Environment-recommended tolerable limit harming people.

Noise level was measured at 37 locations and sensitive places like hospitals, schools, universities and parks in the city, including Motijheel, Farmgate, Gulshan, Gulistan and Mirpur. It was observed that average level of noise on roads exceeded the limit by 40 percent.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the safe limit of sound is 45 decibels. But the limit exceeds in most of the places of the capital. 

Dr Mainul Hafiz, a renowned ENT consultant, said sound over 65 decibels creates heart diseases and over 90 decibels of sound leads to ulcer, hearing problems and changes in nervous system and that of over 120 decibels creates pain in the ears and destroys hearing ability.

Responding to the issue, the director of DoE, Salah Uddin Chowdhury, said to daily sun,”We conduct drives with the help of police and magistrate to penalize buses, trucks and personal vehicles for crossing permissible limit.

“We also organise awareness programmes with the students of schools and colleges so that they can play an active role to stop sound pollution,” he added.

Source: dailysun