NOISE POLLUTION

The word noise is derived from the Latin word ‘Nausea’, which means sickness in which one feels the need to vomit. Noise is the unpleasant and undesirable sound which leads to discomfort in human beings. The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The faintest sound that the human ear can hear is 1 Db. Due to increasing noise around the civilizations, noise pollution has become a matter of concern. Some of its major causes are vehicles, aircraft, industrial machines, loudspeakers, crackers, etc. When used at high volume, some other appliances also contribute to noise pollution, like television, transistor, radio, etc.

Types of Noise Pollution

Following are the three types of pollution:

1. Transport Noise
2. Neighbourhood Noise
3. Industrial Noise

Transport Noise

It mainly consists of traffic noise which has increased in recent years with the increase in the number of vehicles. The increase in noise pollution leads to deafening of older people, headache, hypertension, etc.

Neighbourhood Noise

The noise from gadgets, household utensils etc. Some of the main sources are musical instruments, transistors, loudspeakers, etc.

Industrial Noise

It is the high-intensity sound which is caused by heavy industrial machines. According to many researches, industrial noise pollution damages the hearing ability to around 20%.

Prevention of Noise Pollution

Honking in public places like teaching institutes, hospitals, etc. should be banned.
In commercial, hospital, and industrial buildings, adequate soundproof systems should be installed.
Musical instrument's sound should be controlled to desirable limits.
Dense tree cover is useful in noise pollution prevention.
Explosives should not be used in forest, mountainous and mining areas.