The bane of noise pollution

It is a bald and undeniable fact that carbon mono-oxide and lead oxide emitted by motorized traffic is one of the causes of serious disease, like cancer, throat infection, lungs problem, eye-sore, deafness and baldness. But according to a recent study and survey carried out in Karachi by the Institute of Environmental Studies of Karachi University and by the PCSIR in other big cities of the country, pollution of noise is causing havoc. They have categorically stated that pollution of noise has grown in big cities to intolerable volume. According to International Occupational Safety and Health Standards, hearing loss is most likely risk when a person is exposed to 115 decibels, noise for more than 15 minutes whereas 85 to 90 decibels is stated to be maximum allowable occupational exposure. The nerve shattering noise emitted by auto-rickshaws, most of them with defective silencers, significantly contribute towards stress disorder. Anxiety, nerve exhaustion and other miseries of pollution stricken citizens. Noise of loudspeakers, railway trains, airplanes, tractors, rattling of machines, ice-cream sellers and all the motorized traffic with their pressure horns are adversely telling upon the health of urban as well as rural population. What is purpose of using 4 to 12 loudspeakers in a mosque where one can do the needful? If the present upward trend of noise pollution is not arrested, then a day is very near when we will have to fight a war against noise, like the one we fought against deadly epidemics of plague, small pox, cholera, polio and other contagious diseases. According to a well known cardiologist, noise pollution is the main cause of mood disorder, fatigueless, depression and nervous tension, which ultimately affects the functioning of hearts. Noise pollution hinders the concentration and makes the intellectual, mental activities and deciding power slow. It can cause disorder in digestion system. Due to sudden noise one can lose eye-sight and become stutterer. Constant noise reduces the life span of living beings. About 70% of the cardiac are patients and those of blood pressure get worse because of the noise they are supposed to in big cities. Many loudspeakers which keep on making thundering noise from early in the morning to late at night vex the students as it prevent them from concentration on their lessons. It creates nervous tension and is one of the major causes of road accidents, drug addiction and suicidal inclination. Quantity of milk in milking animals is decreased due to noise which is restored on restoration of silence and peace. Noise of jet airplanes can kill the off-spring of bees in their hives. Some species of birds have almost disappeared from certain areas because of noise. If you put a fresh flower on a radio-set playing on full volume, it will wither and scatter very soon. Noise of high volume not only adversely affects the animals and plants, but is also dangerous for human health but unfortunately it is chasing every body everywhere. Environment protection council, National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS) for noise levels, and Ministry of Environment and Urban Affairs is required to do something now to arrest the upward trend of noise pollution before everybody become crazy.

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