Srinagar Higher air contamination apart, the noise pollution levels in Srinagar too have crossed permissible limits, especially near hospitals and educational institutions.
According to State Pollution Control Boards recent noise monitoring report regarding five locations in this summer capital, the noise levels are above WHO permissible standards especially during the day time.
Outside the gate of G B Pant hospital, one of the primary children hospitals in Srinagar, the average noise level recorded was 70dB. Inside the hospitals entrance gate, the noise level was 61dB as against WHO permissible limit of 60dB.
At the main entrance gate of SKIMS, the only tertiary care hospital in Kashmir, the noise level was found 75dB. Few metres inside the gateway, near casualty side, the level recorded was 61dB.
The situation is worse near SMHS hospital, with noise level of 81dB near main gate and 61dB near opposite side of casualty adjacent to Doctors Hostel.
Not just hospitals, the blare of human activity was found above permissible limits in one of the Srinagars leading and old educational institutionSP Higher secondary school as well as near the seat of highest judiciary, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
At main entrance gate of the SP College and high secondary, adjacent to which is also womans college Srinagar, the noise level on average day has been found to be 80dB and 59dB near colleges main gate, few metres inside from the busy M A road.
At High Courts main gate, the noise pollution was recorded 66dB and on road opposite to it, near PDD office, it was found to be 72dB.
According to WHO, prolonged exposure to noise above 60 dB can lead to irreversible Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). There are other serious health implications as well such as deafness, heart conditions, sleep disorders and cognitive impairment in children.
According to a 2011 WHO report, sleep disturbance and annoyance were the major components of health burden due to noise.
The High Court has already taken strong note of the higher levels of pollution in this summer capital of the state.
The agencies concerned are sufficiently empowered by the Statutes and Rules to implement the various provisions to bring about an improvement in the noise levels. The statistics reveal that action is not being taken, said a division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Alok Aradhe while hearing a plea, essentially on better traffic management in Srinagar.
We, therefore, direct the State Pollution Control Board to ensure that adequate steps are taken to bring down the noise pollution levels within permissible limits, the court said in an order issued earlier this month.
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