Shor in the city

A report published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) last month revealed some startling facts about noise levels in the city. After a four-year-long series of regular ambient noise monitoring, the Board concluded that Mumbai is India's noisiest city. The worrying fact is that the noise levels exceed the prescribed maximum level by 100 per cent, and if such high decibel levels persist, it'll harm our well-being.

According to AWAAZ Foundation, which tracks decibel (dB) levels in the city, the main sources for noise pollution are construction sites, loudspeakers, firecrackers and honking. The noise from construction is aggravated by interior work done at individual apartments. Loudspeakers, invariably used at public places during festivals, religious occasions, political gatherings and for any other activity people deem fit, are one of the most irrefutable sources of noise pollution.

Festive seasons, especially the Ganesh Visarjan period, are the worst, according to figures recorded by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board in 2015. While 70dB is the maximum level of noise deemed fit for exposure to human ear, the levels recorded during the 2015 Ganeshotsav festival were much higher. Sample this: 112.6dB at Juhu Beach, 107.4dB at Girgaon Chowpatty and 96.0dB at Kandivali's Thakur Village were recorded on the last day of the festival.

The toll on health

The noise we are exposed to on a daily basis, especially the incessant honking, is gradually causing us harm, and such constant exposure is creating complications at multiple levels. "Noise irritated me a lot when I was in Mumbai. I hated the honking and constant yelling by people on the road," says former Mumbai resident Chandni Varia, who recently moved to Moscow. "It made me so angry that I desperately felt the need to soundproof my windows. Firecrackers during Diwali were the worst. This is the reason I avoid coming to India during the festival."

Clinical psychologist Dr Seema Hingorrany emphasises that the human mind is not designed to be in a noisy environment. "Noisy places serve to enrage and increase depression levels. The repercussions of noise pollution at a psychological level are agitation, mental chaos, mild changes in personality and disturbed sleep patterns," says Dr Hingorrany. A possible solution, she offers, is to practise meditation and other calming exercises.

Other than the fact that excessive noise creates hearing impairment, the non-auditory health impact spans heart disease, anxiety, annoyance and cognitive impairment. Disturbed sleeping patterns also adversely impact alertness, performance at work and general quality of life.

Irritability may seem trivial, but it can lead to stress and exhaustion, says audiologist and speech and language therapist Ms Natasha Dsouza, "A large number of individuals are affected by this and according to various studies, rage is the second fallout of noise pollution, just after deafness," she explains. The most significant causes for these afflictions are vehicular noise, prolonged exposure to loud music and industrial noise. High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke have also been linked to noise exposure.

People who bear the brunt of incessant honking are traffic policemen, who spend a better part of their day on the roads. "Short term exposure to high levels of noise can cause a temporary change in hearing levels, which is usually experienced after stepping out of a club where music plays loudly," says Ms Natasha Dsouza​. And the worst outcome of constant exposure? Permanent hearing loss.

"Most metropolitan traffic police personnel do not wear protective ear devices and end up being exposed to noise from trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles, which can reach up to 82dB. They are most likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss or NIHL, which cannot be reversed even by surgery."

Baby steps for a solution

Little thought is given to how noise pollution affects the children's growth. Young children who grow up in noisy localities are known to have a significantly higher heart rate than their counterparts who live in quieter neighbourhoods. "When children are regularly exposed to high decibel levels, they may develop speech or reading difficulties because their auditory processing functions are compromised. For instance, kids who stay close to an airport, where the average noise level is about 120dB. Such children take longer to develop speech perception abilities," adds Ms Natasha Dsouza​.

This is backed by a 1993 study by Cornell University, which showed that children in high-noise environments experienced cognitive developmental delays, in particular, a writing and learning impairment named dysgraphia.
With Mumbai under siege thanks to road and real estate construction, it is only fair for citizens to expect enforcement of rules and laws. In the absence of concrete norms though, (the city's corporation allows construction until sunset) noise is a given even during afternoons, a time for rest for senior citizens. This leaves various societies and residents' associations to micromanage the problem.

"Many buildings in Pali Hill are undergoing construction or redevelopment work. The Pali Hill Residents' Association met the builders of these respective sites and discussed the need for silence in the afternoon," says Madhu Poplai of the Pali Hill Resident's Association. Due to such initiatives, there is no noise at construction sites between 2-4pm in Pali Hill. Several other citizen's groups too work on these lines, without any help from local administration authorities.

"Many societies have set rules and regulations even for interior work in flats, prohibiting work in the afternoon and on Sundays," says AWAAZ Foundation convenor Sumaira Abdulali. But due to the absence of a uniform law, she stresses, societies, communities and citizen's groups are effective in curbing noise pollution only at neighbourhood levels.

Road traffic brings its own set of challenges. The traffic department has implemented a fine of Rs500 for excessive honking. With each passing year, the number of people booked for excessive honking has been increasing. In 2015 alone, 7,300 people were booked for this violation. "Noise pollution due to honking is minuscule compared to other factors that contribute to noise in Mumbai. But we are launching an anti-noise campaign next month and hoping to sensitise more people regarding the issue," says Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic.
Until such time that noise levels reduce to an acceptable 70dB, may we suggest noise-cancelling headphones?

Major sources of noise

Traffic

Sirens
Horns
Silencers not maintained

Construction

Building construction
Interiors
Infrastructure

Loudspeakers

Festivals
Weddings and private functions
Religious places

Firecrackers

Diwali
Private celebrations

Maximum permissible noise levels in Mumbai

Loudspeakers: 123.7 dB
Firecrackers: 140 dB
Traffic: 105 dB
Construction: 100 dB

What you can do

Download free App 'Noise Watch'Measure decibel levelsComplain to Police Control Room Number 100Maintain a record of complaints and police action taken/not takenWrite to thw Deputy Commissioner of Police and post your complaint on Facebook page 'GetWellSoonMumbai'

The wild commotion

Dr Naveen Pandey, deputy director and veterinary advisor with The Corbett Foundation, explains the effects of noise pollution on animals:

Dogs: In dogs, the mechanism for emptying the stomach of its indigestible contents could get disrupted due to noise pollution. Such disruption can lead to the stomach being unnecessarily full and also affect the animal's ability to get a hunger cue.

Marine life: We usually ignore the impact of noise pollution on aquatic life forms. Swim bladders in fish, which are required to maintain buoyancy, can get ruptured by vibrations from extreme noise.

Poultry: In crowded markets and haat bazaars, noise pollution adversely affects poultry. Anthropogenic noise pollution and adverse environmental conditions such as limited access to food jointly alter the animals' neuroendocrine and immunological responses, causing higher plasma cholesterol and protein levels.

Wildlife: Wild animals respond to anthropogenic noise stressors by becoming more vigilant and hiding more often. Such behaviours lead to reduced foraging and feeding times, leading to immuno-suppression and weight loss.