What is Sound and What is

Noise?
Sound is a form of energy that is transmitted by pressure variations which
the human ear can detect. When one plays a musical instrument, say a
guitar, the vibrating chords set air particles into vibration and generate
pressure waves in the air. A person nearby may then hear the sound of the
guitar when the pressure waves are perceived by the ear. Sound can also
travel through other media, such as water or steel.
Apart from musical instruments, sound can be produced by many other
sources - man's vocal cord, a running engine, a vibrating loudspeaker
diaphragm, an operating machine tool, and so on. Click on the demo
buttons and you will hear the noise from different sources.

Noise is unwanted sound. Usually the sound of a violin is referred to as

music - is something pleasing. Depending on other factors, the sound may
be perceived as noise.
Noise perception is subjective. Factors such as the magnitude,
characteristics, duration, and time of occurrence may affect one's
subjective impression of the noise.

Sources & Effects

The present generation and the coming generations have to solve three grave
problems, namely, population poverty and pollution if they have to survive. Pollution
being the most dangerous problem likes cancer in which death is sure but slow.
Environment pollution is assuming dangerous proportions all through the globe and
India is not free from this poisonous disease. This is the gift of modern living,
industrialization and urbanization. Unless timely action is taken we have a forbid
and bleak future for the world.
The word noise is derived from the Latin term nausea. It has been defined as
unwanted sound, a potential hazard to health and communication dumped into the
environment with regard to the adverse effect it may have on unwilling ears.

1. Noise is defined as unwanted sound

Sound, which pleases the listeners, is music and that which causes pain and
annoyance is noise. At times, what is music for some can be noise for others2
Section 2 (a) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 includes noise
in the definition of air pollutant.
Section 2(a) air pollution means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including
noise present in the atmosphere such concentration as may be or tent to injurious
to human beings or other living creatures or plants or property or environment.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica: In acoustic noise is defined as any undesired
sound.3
In chambers 21st Century Dictionary the definition of noise has undergone a
change. Noise pollution stands carved out as phrase separately from noise. The two
are defined as under:
Noise- a sound; a harsh disagreeable sound, or such sound; a din. Pollution- an
excessive or annoying degree of noise in a particular area, e.g. from traffic or aero
plane engines.
Pollution is a noise derived from the verb pollute. Section 2 (c ) of the Environment
(Protection ) Act, 1986 defines environmental pollution to mean the presence in the
environment of any environmental pollutant. Section 2 (b) of the said Act defines
environmental pollutant to means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in
such concentration as may be ,or tends to be injurious to environment.
Noise can be described as sound without agreeable musical quality or as an
unwanted or undesired sound. Thus noise can be taken as a group of laud, non
harmonious sounds or vibrations that are unpleasant and irritating to ear.

2 Measurement
A decibel is the standard for the measurement of noise. The zero on a decibel scale
is at the threshold of hearing, the lowest sound pressure that can be heard, on the
scale acc. To smith, 20 db is whisper, 40 db the noise in a quiet office . 60 db is
normal conversation, 80 db is the level at which sound becomes physically painful.
The Noise quantum of some of the cities in our country indicate their pitch in

decibel in the nosiest areas of corresponding cities, e.g. Delhi- 80 db, Kolkata 87,Bombay-85, Chennai-89 db etc.

3 Sources of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution like other pollutants is also a by- product of industrialization,
urbanizations and modern civilization. Broadly speaking , the noise pollution has two
sources, i.e. industrial and non- industrial. The industrial source includes the noise
from various industries and big machines working at a very high speed and high
noise intensity. Non- industrial source of noise includes the noise created by
transport/vehicular traffic and the neighborhood noise generated by various noise
pollution can also be divided in the categories , namely, natural and manmade.
Most leading noise sources will fall into the following categories: roads traffic,
aircraft, railroads, construction, industry, noise in buildings, and consumer products.
1. Road Traffic Noise:
In the city, the main sources of traffic noise are the motors and exhaust system of
autos , smaller trucks, buses, and motorcycles. This type of noise can be
augmented by narrow streets and tall buildings, which produce a canyon in which
traffic noise reverberates.
2. Air Craft Noise:
Now-a-days , the problem of low flying military aircraft has added a new dimension
to community annoyance, as the nation seeks to improve its nap-of the- earth
aircraft operations over national parks, wilderness areas , and other areas
previously unaffected by aircraft noise has claimed national attention over recent
years.
3. Noise from railroads:
The noise from locomotive engines, horns and whistles, and switching and shunting
operation in rail yards can impact neighboring communities and railroad workers.
For example, rail car retarders can produce a high frequency, high level screech that
can reach peak levels of 120 dB at a distance of 100 feet, which translates to levels
as high as 138, or 140 dB at the railroad workers ear.
4. Construction Noise:
The noise from the construction of highways , city streets , and buildings is a major
contributor to the urban scene . Construction noise sources include pneumatic
hammers, air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks (and their back-up
signals), and pavement breakers.
5. Noise in Industry:
Although industrial noise is one of the less prevalent community noise problems,

neighbors of noisy manufacturing plants can be disturbed by sources such as fans,

motors, and compressors mounted on the outside of buildings Interior noise can
also be transmitted to the community through open windows and doors, and even
through building walls. These interior noise sources have significant impacts on
industrial workers, among whom noise- induced hearing loss is unfortunately
common.
6. Noise in building:
Apartment dwellers are often annoyed by noise in their homes, especially when the
building is not well designed and constructed. In this case, internal building noise
from plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners, and fans, can be audible and
annoying. Improperly insulated walls and ceilings can reveal the soundof-amplified
music, voices, footfalls and noisy activities from neighboring units. External noise
from emergency vehicles, traffic, refuse collection, and other city noises can be a
problem for urban residents, especially when windows are open or insufficiently
glazed.
7. Noise from Consumer products:
Certain household equipment, such as vacuum cleaners and some kitchen
appliances have been and continue to be noisemakers, although their contribution
to the daily noise dose is usually not very large.
4 Harmful Effects:
On Human Being, Animal and Property: Noise has always been with the human
civilization but it was never so obvious, so intense, so varied & so pervasive as it is
seen in the last of this century. Noise pollution makes men more irritable. The effect
of noise pollution is multifaceted & inter related. The effects of Noise Pollution on
Human Being, Animal and property are as follows:
I It decreases the efficiency of a man:- Regarding the impact of noise on human
efficiency there are number of experiments which print out the fact that human
efficiency increases with noise reduction. A study by Sinha & Sinha in India
suggested that reducing industrial booths could improve the quality of their work.
Thus human efficiency is related with noise.
II Lack of concentration:- For better quality of work there should be concentration ,
Noise causes lack of concentration. In big cities , mostly all the offices are on main
road. The noise of traffic or the loud speakers of different types of horns divert the
attention of the people working in offices.
III Fatigue:- Because of Noise Pollution, people cannot concentrate on their work.
Thus they have to give their more time for completing the work and they feel tiring.
IV Abortion is caused: - There should be cool and calm atmosphere during the
pregnancy. Unpleasant sounds make a lady of irriative nature. Sudden Noise causes
abortion in females.

V It causes Blood Pressure: - Noise Pollution causes certain diseases in human. It

attacks on the persons peace of mind. The noises are recognized as major
contributing factors in accelerating the already existing tensions of modern living.
These tensions result in certain disease like blood pressure or mental illness etc.
VI Temporary of permanent Deafness:- The effect of nose on audition is well
recognized. Mechanics , locomotive drivers, telephone operators etc. All have their
hearing . Impairment as a result of noise at the place of work. Physictist, physicians
& psychologists are of the view that continued exposure to noise level above. 80 to
100 db is unsafe, Loud noise causes temporary or permanent deafness.
VII EFFECT ON VEGETATION Poor quality of Crops:- Now is well known to all that
plants are similar to human being. They are also as sensitive as man. There should
be cool & peaceful environment for their better growth. Noise pollution causes poor
quality of crops in a pleasant atmosphere.
VIII EFFECT ON ANIMAL:- Noise pollution damage the nervous system of animal.
Animal looses the control of its mind. They become dangerous.
IX EFFECT ON PROPERTY:- Loud noise is very dangerous to buildings, bridges and
monuments. It creates waves which struck the walls and put the building in danger
condition. It weakens the edifice of buildings.
5 Legal Control:
(a) Constitution of India
Right to Life:- Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees life and personal liberty to all
persons. It is well settled by repeated pronouncements of the Supreme Court that
right to life enshrined in Article 21 is not of mere survival or existence. It guarantees
a right of persons to life with human dignity. Any one who wishes to live in peace,
comfort and quiet within his house has a right to prevent the noise as pollutant
reaching him.
Right to Information:- Every one has the right to information know about the norms
and conditions on which Govt. permit the industry which effect the environment.

Right to Religion and Noise

Right to religion does not include right to perform religious activities on loud
speaker and electronic goods which produce high velocity of noise.
Directive Principal of State Policy:
The state has the object to make the enviorment pollution free.
Fundamental Duties:

every citizen of the country has the fundamental duty to clean the environment.
(b) Cr.P.C. Section 133
Here Section 133 is of great importance. Under Crpc. Section 133 the magisterial
court have been empowered to issue order to remove or abate nuisance caused by
noise pollution Sec 133 empower an executive magistrate to interfere and remove a
public nuisance in the first instance with a conditional order and then with a
permanent one. The provision can be utilized in case of nuisance of environment
nature. He can adopt immediate measure to prevent danger or injury of a serious
land to the public. For prevention of danger to human life, health or safety the
magistrate can direct a person to abstain from certain acts.
(c) I.P.C. Public Nuisance 268-295
Chapter IV of Indian Penal code deals with offences relating to public health,
safety, ....decency , morals under Sections 268, 269, 270, 279, 280, 287, 288, 290
291 294. Noise pollution can be penalized with the help of above section. Private
remedies suits in the area may related to public nuisance under A299. This article
punishment in case of Public nuisance law of torts covers. A person is guilty of
public nuisance who does any act or is guilty of an illegal omission which causes
any common injury, danger, or annoyance to the pubic or to the people in general
who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity or which must necessarily cause injury,
obstruction danger or annoyance to persons who may have occasion to use any
public right. A common nuisance is not excused on the ground that it causes some
convenience or advantage. Who ever commits a public nuisance in any case not
otherwise punishable by this code, shall be punished with fine, which may extend to
Rs. 200.
(d) Law of Torts Noise pollution is considered as civil wrong:Under law of torts , a civil suit can be filed claiming damages for the nuisance. For
filing a suit under law of torts a plaintiff is required to comply with some of the
requirement of tort of nuisance which are as follows:1. There should be reasonable interference.
2. Interference should be with the use & enjoyment of land.
3. In an action for nuisance actual damage is required to be proved. As a general
rule either the presence or absence of malice does not matter. But in some cases
deviation from the rule has been made.
In Christe Vs Davey The extent of noise & the amount of disturbance caused there
by was ignored & it was held that the noise which arose due to the practice of lawful
profession, & without any malice, could not be considered to be actionable
nuisance.
In Hollywood Silver Fox Farm Ltd. Vs Emmett It was held that presence of malice
was a factor in determining liability for noise amounting to nuisance. The court said

that even on his won land was nuisance, & the defendant was liable in damages.

(e) Factories Act Reduction of Noise and Oil of Machinery

The Factories Act does not contain any specific provision for noise control. However,
unde the Third Schedule Sections 89 and 90 of the Act, noise induced hearing loss,
is mentioned as notifiable disease. Similarly, under the Modal Rules, limits for noise
exposure for work zone area have been prescribed.

(f) Motor Vehicle Act.

Provision Relation to use of horn and change of Engine:- In Motor veichle Act rules
regarding use horns and any modification in engine are made.
(g) Noise Pollution Control Rule 2000 under Environment Protection Act 1996 :Further for better regulation for noise pollution There are The Noise Pollution
( Regulation and Control ) Rules, 2000 in order to curb the growing problem of
noise pollution the government of India has enacted the noise pollution rules 2000
that includes the following main provisions:# The state government may categories the areas in the industrial or commercial or
residential
# The ambient air quality standards in respect of noise for different areas have
been specified.
# State government shall take measure for abatement of noise including noise
emanating from vehicular movement and ensure that the existing noise levels do
not exceed the ambient air quality standards specified under these rules.
# An area not less than 100 m around hospitals educations institutions and court
may be declare as silence are for the purpose of these rules.
# A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used except after
obtaining written permission from the authority and the same shall not be used at
night. Between 10 pm to 6 am
# A person found violating the provisions as to the maximum noise permissible in
any particular area shall be liable to be punished for it as per the provision of these
rules and any other law in force.
Schedule
(see rule 3(l) and 4(l)
Ambient Air Quality Standards in respect of Noise
Area Code Category of Area/Zone Limits in dB(A) Leq *
Day Time NightTime
(A) Industrial area 75 70
(B) Commercial area 65 55

(C) Residential area 55 45

(D) Silence Zone 50 40
*dB(A) Leq denotes the time weighted average of the level of sound in decibels on
scale A which is relatable to human hearing. A "decibel" is a unit in which noise is
measured. "A", in dB(A) Leq, denotes the frequency weighting in the measurement
of noise and corresponds to frequency response characteristics of the human ear.
Leq : It is an energy mean of the noise level, over a specified period.|

6 Judiciary And Noise Pollution

In Raghunandan Prasad5 the engine of a factory was causing noise so as to be a
serious nuisance to be the people living in the neighborhood the forbade the
working of engine from 9 P.M. to 5 A.M.
In Mauj Raghu6 A rice mill working at night during season will not disentitle the
inhabitants of locality to relief under this section if it is established that such
working is a nuisance.
In Ram Avtar7 The appellant carried on a trade of auctioning vegetable in private
house the noise caused by the auctioning caused discomfort to person living in
society. An order was passed restraining auctioning g of vegetable in the their
house. It was held by supreme court that the order was not justified merely because
the applicant carried on auctioning gin connection with which the carts were
brought they could not be taken as cause of problem Section 133 was held not
intended to stoop such trades merely because of discomfort caused by the noise.
In Himmat Singh8 Where there were fodder tals in a residential colony to which
fodder was brought daily during nights by trucks which were unloaded in the
morning and fodder was cut during the day by electric operated machines. It was
held that the carrying on the trades causing intolerable noises emanating offensive
smells and spreading dust containing articles of fodder cut was public nuisance as
noise pollution.
Some other important cases are also have great relevance in this regard:
In Govind singh9 the court examined the emerging parameters of public nuisance.
The supreme court on special leave to appeal noted that the evidence disclosed the
emission of smoke injurious to health and physical comfort of people living or
working in the proximity of appellant bakery and held this as a case of public
nuisance.
In Maulan Mufti Syed and Other V. State of West Bengal AIR 1999 CAL 15 The court
held imposition of restriction on the use of microphone and loud speakers by the

state government between 9 pm to 7 am which inter alia include recitation of azan

on microphone in early hours before 7 AM is not violative of Article 25 of
constitution guaranteeing of freedom of religion.
Latest authority of supreme court is a land mark judgment in the field of noise
pollution
In Re: Noise Pollution11 Following important observations have been made by
Supreme court regarding noise pollution which are discussed as follows:Facts of the case:
Anil mittal an engineer filed this case . the immediate reason for this was that a 13
years old girl was a victim of rape he cries for held and went unheard due to blaring
sound of loudspeakers noise music over loud speakers in the neighbor hood. the
Petitioner complain of noise created by the use of loudspeakers being used in
religious performances or singing bhajans and the like in busy commercial hi fi
audio systems are used.
There are rules framed by the government regarding noise pollution and known as
Noise Pollution control and Regulation Rules, 1999. On 11-10-2002 govt brought in
an amendment in the rules. The amendment empowered the state government to
permit use of loudspeakers or public address system during night hours between 10
pm to 12 pm in the mid night on or during the cultural or religious occasions for a
limited period not exceeding 15 days.
In this case supreme observed that Right to life enshrined in Article 21 is not of
mere survival or existence. It guarantees a right of persons to life with human
dignity. There in are included all the aspects of life which go to make a person life
meaningful complete and worth living. Every body who wished to live in peace ,
comfort and quiet with in his house has a right to prevent the noise as pollutant
reaching him. No one claim a right to noise to create noise even in his own premises
which would travel beyond his precincts and cause nuisance to neighbors or others.
7 Conclusion:We have made the law relating to noise pollution but there is need to creating
general awareness towards the hazardous effects of noise pollution. Particularly, in
our country the people generally lack consciousness of the ill effects which noise
pollution creates ad how the society including they themselves stand to beneficiary
preventing generation and emission of noise pollution. The target area should be
educational institutions and more particularly school. The young children of
impressionable age should be motivated to desist from playing with firecrackers,
use of high sound producing equipments and instruments on festivals, religious and
social functions, family get-togethers and celebrations etc. which cause noise
pollution. Suitable chapters can be added into textbooks, which teach civic sense to
the children and teach them how to be good and responsible citizen which would

include learning by heart of various fundamental duties and that would obliviously
include learning not to create noise pollution and to prevent if generated by others.
Holding of special talks and lectures can be organized in the schools to highlight the
menance of noise pollution and the role of the children in preventing it . For these
purpose the state must pay its role by the support and cooperation of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) can also be enlisted.
Effects of noise pollution
Generally, problems caused by noise pollution include stress related illnesses,
speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity. Most
importantly, there are three major effects we can look at:
Hearing
The immediate and acute effect of noise pollution to a person, over a period of time,
is impairment of hearing. Prolonged exposure to impulsive noise to a person will
damage their eardrum, which may
result in a permanent hearing impairment.
Marine Animals
Marine scientists are concerned about excessive noise used by oil drills, submarines
and other vessels on and inside the ocean. Many marine animals, especially whales,
use hearing to find food, communicate, defend and survive in the ocean. Excessive
noises are causing a lot of injuries and deaths to whales. For example, the effect of
a navy submarines sonar can be felt 300 miles away from the source .
(SONAR is the use of sound by submarines and other fishing vessels to deterring the
depth of water, the closeness of an object, or detect movement of other objects in
the water)
Many of these beached whales have suffered physical trauma, including bleeding
around the brain, ears and other tissues and large bubbles in their organs.
There is no question that sonar injures and kills whales and dolphins.
Joel Reynolds, NRDC senior attorney
(http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/marine/sonar.asp)
This is not only about whales, but the larger marine life are all affected in one way
or the other.
Effects on general health
Health effects of noise include anxiety and stress reaction and in extreme cases
fright. The physiological manifestations are headaches, irritability and nervousness,
feeling of fatigue and decreases work efficiency. For example, being pounded by the

siren of fire fighters, police or ambulance in your city all night everyday leave
people (especially elderly people) stresses and tired in the morning.
Its is worth noting that these effects may not sound troubling, but the truth is, with
time, the consequences can be very worrying.

Noise pollution prevention and control tips

Below are a few things people and governments can do to make our
communities and living laces quieter:
Construction of soundproof rooms for noisy machines in industrial
and manufacturing installations must be encouraged. This is also
important for residential buildingnoisy machines should be installed
far from sleeping and living rooms, like in a basement or garage.
Use of horns with jarring sounds, motorbikes with damaged exhaust
pipes, noisy trucks to be banned.
Noise producing industries, airports, bus and transport terminals and
railway stations to sighted far from where living places.
Community law enforcers should check the misuse of loudspeakers,
worshipers, outdoor parties and discos, as well as public
announcements systems.
Community laws must silence zones near schools / colleges,
hospitals etc.
Vegetation (trees) along roads and in residential areas is a good way
to reduce noise pollution as they absorb sound.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not
been built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can
take in a certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made
noises such as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even
vehicles can be too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to
loud levels of noise can easily result in the damage of our ear drums
and loss of hearing. It also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our
ears pick up unconsciously to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and
hypertension can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn
can cause more severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your
sleeping pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable
situations. Without a good night sleep, it may lead to problems related
to fatigue and your performance may go down in office as well as at
home. It is therefore recommended to take a sound sleep to give your
body proper rest.

4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular

disease and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies
suggest that high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and
increases heart beat rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing
them to a manageable level depends on our understanding noise
pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and
may not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and
disturb your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound.
Animals develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival
depends on it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets
react more aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral
problems. In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which
makes them easy prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others
become inefficient at hunting, disturbing the balance of the ecosystem.

Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to

hear these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they
are unable to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others
require sound waves to echo-locate and find their way when migrating.
Disturbing their sound signals means they get lost easily and do not
migrate when they should. To cope up with the increasing sound
around them, animals are becoming louder, which may further add to
the pollution levels. This is why understanding noise pollution can help
us lower the impact it has on the environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution.
On a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their
homes by lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the
television. Listening to music without headphones is also a good step
forward. Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the
pollution can be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos.
Better urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where
honking and industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our
understanding noise pollution is complete, can we take steps to
eradicate it completely.

Image credit:

Definition:
Sound, a normal feature of our life, is the means of
communication and entertainment in most animals, including
human beings. It is also a very effective alarm system. A low
sound is pleasant whereas a loud sound is unpleasant and is
commonly referred to as noise. Noise can be defined as an
unpleasant and unwanted sound.
Whether a given sound is as pleasant as music or as
unpleasant as noise depends on its loudness, duration,
rhythm and the mood of the person. But loudness is definitely
the most significant criterion which converts sound into noise.
Exposure to loud noise is indeed annoying and harmful too.
Noise is a physical form of pollution and is not directly harmful
to the life supporting systems namely air, soil and water. Its
effects are more directly on the receiver i.e. man. Noise
pollution is the result of modern industrialized urban life and
congestion due to over population.
Even though noise pollution is not fatal to human life, yet its
importance cannot be overlooked because repeated exposure

to noise reduces the sleeping hours and productivity or

efficiency of a human being. It affects the peace of mind and
invades the privacy of a human being. The importance of
noise pollution as environmental problem is being recognised
as the ill effects of noise on human health and environment
are becoming evident with each passing day.

Sources of Noise Pollution:

Major causes / sources of noise pollution are:

(i) Industrial Sources:

Progress in technology (industrialization) has resulted in
creating noise pollution. Textile mills, printing presses,
engineering establishments and metal works etc. contribute
heavily towards noise pollution. In industrial cities like Kolkata,
Ludhiana, Kanpur etc., often the industrial zones are not
separated from the residential zones of the city especially in
the case of small scale industries.
These operate from workshops located on the ground floors
of the residential areas and cause annoyance, discomfort and
irritation to the residents exposed to the noise that is

inevitably produced. The situation is much better in modern

planned cities like Chandigarh where the industrial area is
kept away from the residential areas and both are separated
from each other by a sufficiently wide green belt.

(ii) Transport Vehicles:

Automobile revolution in urban centers has proved to be a big
source of noise pollution. Increasing traffic has given rise to
traffic jams in congested areas where the repeated hooting of
horns by impatient drivers pierce the ears of all road users.
Noise from airplanes constitutes an increasing serious
problem in big cities like Delhi & Mumbai. Airport situated in
the vicinity of population centres and the air planes pass over
residential areas. Heavy trucks, buses trains, jet-planes,
motor-cycles, scooters, mopeds, jeepsthe list of vehicles is
endless but the outcome is same noise pollution.

(iii) Household:
The household is an industry in itself and is a source of many
indoor noises such as the banging of doors, noise of playing
children, crying of infants, moving of furniture, loud

conversation of the inhabitants etc. Besides these are the

entertainment equipment in the house, namely the radio,
record-players and television sets. Domestic gadgets like the
mixer-grinders, pressure cookers, desert coolers, airconditioners, exhaust fans, vacuum cleaners, sewing and
washing machines are all indoor sources of noise pollution.

(iv) Public Address System:

In India people need only the slightest of an excuse for using
loud speakers. The reason may be a religious function, birth,
death, marriage, elections, demonstration, or just commercial
advertising. Public system, therefore, contributes in its own
way towards noise pollution.

(v) Agricultural Machines:

Tractors, thrashers, harvesters, tube wells, powered tillers etc.
have all made agriculture highly mechanical but at the same
time highly noisy. Noise level 90 dB to 98 dB due to running of
farm machines have been recorded in the state of Punjab.

(vi) Defence Equipment:

A lot of noise pollution is added to the atmosphere by artillery,
tanks, launching of rockets, explosions, exercising of military
airplanes and shooting practices. Screams of jet engines and
sonic booms have a deafening impact on the ears and in
extreme cases have been known to shatter the window panes
and old dilapidated buildings.

(vii) Miscellaneous Sources:

The automobile repair shops, construction-works, blasting,
bulldozing, stone crushing etc. are other sources of noise
pollution.

Effects of Noise:
Noise is generally harmful and a serious health hazard. It has
far-reaching consequences and has many physical,
physiological as well as psychological effects on human
beings.

(i) Physical Effects:

The physical manifestation of noise pollution is the effect on
hearing ability. Repeated exposure to noise may result in

temporary or permanent shifting of the hearing threshold of a

person depending upon the level and duration of exposure.
The immediate and acute effect of noise pollution is
impairment of hearing (i.e. total deafness.)
Human ears have sensory cells for hearing. If these cells are
subjected to repeated sounds of high intensity before they
have an opportunity to recover fully, they can become
permanently damaged leading to impairment of hearing. Besides the sensory cells, the delicate tympanic membrane or
the ear drum can also be permanently damaged by a sudden
loud noise such as an explosion.

(ii) Physiological Effects:

The physiological manifestations of noise pollution are
several as mentioned below:
(a) Headache by dilating blood vessels of the brain.
(b) Increase in the rate of heart-beat.
(c) Narrowing of arteries.

(d) Fluctuations in the arterial blood pressure by increasing

the level of cholesterol in the blood.
(e) Decrease in heart output.
(f) Pain in the heart.
(g) Digestive spasms through anxiety and dilation of the pupil
of the eye, thereby causing eye-strain.
(h) Impairment of night vision.
(i) Decrease in the rate of colour perception.
(j) Lowering of concentration and affect on memory,
(k) Muscular strain and nervous breakdown.
(l) Psychological Effect
The psychological manifestations of noise pollution are:
(a) Depression and fatigue which considerably reduces the
efficiency of a person.
(b) Insomnia as a result of lack of undisturbed and refreshing
sleep

(c) Straining of senses and annoyance as a result of slow but

persistent noise from motorcycles, alarm clocks, call bells,
telephone rings etc.
(d) Affecting of psychomotor performance of a person by a
sudden loud sound
(e) Emotional disturbance
For a talkative person, the most important effect of noise
pollution would invariably be that noise interferes with our
conservation. So, noise is annoying and the annoyance
depends on many factors not merely the intensity of the
sound but also repetition, because even a sound of small
intensity (e.g. dripping tap or clicking of clock) may become
annoying, simply by repetition.
Some of the well- known effects of noise on human beings
and the relation of noise pollution level and its harmful effects
are shown in Table 5.8 and 5.9 respectively.

Table 5.9. Noise Pollution Level and its Harmful Effects:

Level (in db)

Effects

up to 23
.
.

No disturbance

3060

Stress, tension,

. psychological
.

(illness, heart
attact) effects
especially at

upper range.
Damage to
health,
psychological and
vegetative
(disturbance in
stomach-gall
function, pains in
muscles, high
6090

blood pressure,

. disturbance in
.

sleeping)
Damages to
health and

60120

ontological (ear

diseases) effects

Above 120

Painful effects in

long run.