Prevention of Noise pollution

• a green-belt effectively reduces the noise.
• a 20 foot wide plantation inside the compound protects the house from the noise of vehicular traffic.
• Decibel metres should be installed along highways and in factories to check and control the intensity of noise pollution.
• Specific legislation and regulations should be proposed for designing and operation of machines to include vibration control, sound-proof cabins and sound-absorbing materials.
• In metropolitan areas a green belt of vegetation and open spaces in general may have a great value in noise control as in air purification. It has been seen that plants are efficient absorbers of noise, especially noise of higher frequency. Plants can also absorb aeroplane noise, so a green belt should be planted around airports.
• Loud speakers, which have become a part of festivals, weddings and prayers are banned in most places. The playing of loud speakers should be reported immediately to the police.

- Courtesy by : C.p.R.Environmental Education Centre, Chennai               

• The first approach should be to reduce noise at source.
• Design and fabrication of silencing devices and their use in aircraft engines, trucks, cars, motorcycles, industrial machines and home appliances should be an effective measure.
• Protection to workers can be provided with the help of devices such as earplugs and earmuffs.
• Making a change in design and operation of machines, vibration control, sound proof cabins and sound-absorbing materials can reduce noise.
• Noise can be reduced by prescribing noise limits for vehicular traffic, ban on honking of horns in certain areas and planning main traffic arteries, industrial establishments, amusement areas, residential colonies, creation of silent zones near schools.

Reducing Indoor Noise :

• Trees and shrubs could be planted in front of the building to provide some absorption for the sound.
• Music addicts should be advised to keep the volume low.

Reducing Outside Noise :

• Vegetation buffer zones must be created in different parts of the city.
• Efforts should be made for roadside plantations.

Legislation for control of noise pollution:

In India, in the absence of a specific legislation for control and prevention of the noise pollution, one has to seek provisions in various branches of law and regulations. There has been no doubt that the available provisions in various branches of law are inadequate, unscientific and crude. In most of the developed countries specific legislation has been made and scientific methods for investigation of noise pollution have been invented. At present, there is no specific and detailed legislation to control the noise pollution. However, there is an urgent need that the Central Government of India should manage to get a legislation passed for the control of noise pollution. Some legislation regarding water and air pollution has been made in India.

Government should pass the

• Noise Pollution Control Act to meet special Indian conditions.
• Apart from such Central legislation, there should be a city noise control code for all major cities in India.
• Creation of unnecessary noise has to be prohibited and should be punishable under law.

Education :

• People can be educated through radio, TV, newsreels in cinema halls about noise pollution.
• In the family, elders can teach children to keep the radio volume low, low voice talking, not to horn unnecessarily on the roads, avoid quarreling amongst each other and so on.
• There should be a complete ban of loudspeakers from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Public awakening is also very essential

for the control and prevention of the noise pollution. In India, most people lack knowledge about the ways in which noise pollution can be controlled. Masses are still ignorant of the grave effects of the noise pollution. In this regard television, radio, Internet, and newspapers should start a campaign for wider publicity.