GENERAL ARTICLES

A retrospective view of noise pollution control

policy in India: status, proposed revisions and
control measures
N. Garg* and S. Maji

This article provides a retrospective view of noise policies and ordinances in India. It also proposes
revisions in them for noise abatement and control based on the available knowledge on noise poli-
cies and regulations followed around the world. The work focuses on the inclusion of noise limits
for construction activities, household appliances apart from the revision in ambient noise standards
and National Building Codes for protection against noise pollution. It is envisaged that the pro-
posed revisions and work plan shall be instrumental in execution of noise abatement action plans
for controlling noise pollution in India.

Keywords: Ambient noise standards, control measures, noise pollution, polices and ordinances.

NOISE pollution has become a serious problem for the (NANMN) with an objective of collecting real-time noise
society. In India, with expanding vehicular population monitoring data from major cities of India6–8. The net-
traffic noise levels have increased, which can cause seri- work provides ambient noise level data which can be
ous health effects. The World Health Organization helpful in identification of noisy spots and adoption of
(WHO) recognized noise as one of the major pollutants suitable measures of abatement for noise pollution con-
affecting the health of the human population 1 . The major trol. A retrospective view of the ambient noise standards
sources of noise pollution are: road traffic, rail, aircraft and National Building Codes of India is required so as to
noise, construction noise, noise emitted from the indus- ensure that the current standards, noise policies and legis-
trial set-ups, honking noise from vehicles, noise emitted lations are suitable and effective enough to control noise
from household appliances, loudspeakers, community pollution in India. The development of a validated road
processions, etc. Road traffic noise has been observed to traffic noise model9,10 integrated with a GIS interface for
be the major source of noise pollution in most of these developing noise maps for Indian cities shall be indispen-
studies carried out in different parts of the world 2–4. sable in conducting Environmental Impact Assessment
Long-term noise monitoring studies are required not only (EIA) studies especially for new projects and develop-
for ascertaining the magnitude of ambient levels, but also ment of ‘smart cities’ concept implemented recently by
for devising suitable control action plans. The European the Government of India (GoI).
Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC relating to The objective of the present work is to study the status
the assessment and management of environmental noise of policies and ordinances in the Indian scenario, and
establishes that the member states should create noise propose revisions for noise abatement and control based
maps for the parts of their territory in terms of single- on the available knowledge on noise policies and regula-
noise descriptors: day–evening–night level (Lden ) and tions around the world 11. This independent study is based
night equivalent level (Lnight ) respectively5 . Implementing on the available knowledge on noise policies and regula-
long-term and short-term noise monitoring strategies for tions followed around the world. It has nothing to do with
measuring the ambient noise levels in various part of any legal or Government body sponsoring the work, or
cities and planning of suitable abatement measures for accepting the conclusions of the present work. As such,
reducing noise pollution in Indian cities are essential. The in India, it is the prerogative of many Government
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi, has agencies including CPCB, State Pollution Control
initiated a National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network Boards, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF),
GoI in consultation with National Committee on Noise
Pollution Control to formulate and revise the ambient
N. Garg is in the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi
110 012, India; S. Maji is in the Delhi Technological University, Delhi
noise standards, ordinances and legislations. The Panel
110 042, India. for Acoustics, Sound Insulation and Noise Control, CED
*For correspondence. (e-mail: ngarg@nplindia.org) 46:P20, constituted by the Bureau of Indian Standards

CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016 29

GENERAL ARTICLES

Figure 1. LAeq,24h at 35 locations spread across seven major cities all over India during 2011–2013.

is responsible for amendments and revisions in National than 60 dB(A) LAeq,24h. LAeq,24h levels varied from 50.8 to
Building Codes of India12. Although the proposed revi- 67.1 dB(A) in 2013 for the silence zones, while for resi-
sions in the ambient noise standards and sound regulation dential areas, they varied from 53.1 to 66.1 dB(A). For
requirements have been explicitly discussed earlier13,14, commercial zones, the LAeq,24h levels varied from 56.7 to
the objective of the present study is to consider the over- 75.4 dB(A), while for industrial zones, they varied from
all noise pollution control policies, ordinances and meas- 57.0 to 74.2 dB(A). The Punjagutta commercial area had
ures for all types of noise sources in totality in the Indian maximum LAeq,24h level of 75.4 dB(A), while the Dilshad
scenario and suggesting a road map for developing Garden had minimum LAeq,24h level of 50.8 dB(A). Analy-
a ‘noise-free community’ in Indian cities in the next sis of data also reveals that LAeq,24h levels have marginally
decades. increased in three years, except for the sites Gomti Nagar,
PGI Hospital and Kasba Gole Park, where an increase in
ambient levels of 5 dB(A) is noticed. Thus, the noise
NANMN project: status and implications
monitoring data acquired from these sites are instrumen-
tal in analysing the scenario in seven cities of India and
The NANMN project was established in 2011 by CPCB.
adopting suitable noise pollution control measures. The
Phase I of NANMN covers 35 locations in seven metro
numbers of monitoring stations has increased to 70 in
cities of India. Among these, 14 locations lie in commer-
2014, with each city having ten noise monitoring stations.
cial zones, 5 in industrial, 7 in residential and 9 in silence
zones. The details of the project and analysis of available
noise data have been discussed elaborately in the litera- Proposed revisions in the ambient standards and
ture8,15–17. Figure 1 shows the equivalent continuous National Building Codes
sound pressure level for 24 h duration, LAeq,24h levels at
35 locations spread across seven major cities all over In- With expanding vehicular population, especially in metro
dia during 2011–2013. It can be observed from the 2013 cities, it is necessary to amend the ambient noise stan-
noise monitoring data that 11 out of the 35 sites (31.4%) dards to reasonable values that can be easily enforced, so
have LAeq,24h levels between 60 and 65 dB(A), while 6 as to control the noise pollution levels. Table 1 shows the
sites (17.1%) have ambient noise levels more than proposed ambient noise standards13. The modified ad-
70 dB(A). Eleven sites have ambient noise levels less justments to ISO 1996-1:2003 (ref. 18) recommendations

30 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016

 GENERAL ARTICLES

are to be added to the measured or predicted LAeq,24h criteria in terms of weighted sound reduction index
depending upon the type of sound source and the charac- (R w) and minimum sound reduction (Dw) between
ter of sound as explicitly mentioned in Garg et al.13. The rooms12.
detailed explanation and basis for selecting a cumulative However, in the light of many studies conducted in
noise exposure metrics such as LAeq,24h and modified Europe20,21 and wide usage of spectrum adaptation terms
adjustments proposed can be found in Garg et al.13. It is (C, Ctr) the National Building Codes have to be amended
proposed that for areas under silence zone, the limit is utilizing the weighted standardized field-level difference,
55 dB(A); while for commercial area, and mixed residen- DnT,w as the descriptor used for in situ measurement of
tial and commercial zones, the limit is recommended as sound insulation. Table 2 shows the proposed criteria14
65 dB LAeq,24h. The underlying objective behind adding and descriptors for building elements based on the ex-
the modified adjustments to ISO 1996-1:2003 to LAeq,24h haustive literature survey. Class C refers to the minimum
sound levels is that it will not only be able to overcome criteria that must be followed as chosen in other coun-
the limitations of tonality and character of sound, but also tries, while Class B is defined for the acoustic comfort
be applicable to road, rail and aircraft noise. Thus ambi- having an average noise level reduction of the order of
ent standards shall be applicable for various defined 35 dB. Class A represents the high acoustic comfort lev-
areas, including those prone to aircraft noise. The pro- els achieved through a noise level reduction of 40 dB.
posed standards are recommended for various areas cate- The R w + Ctr,50-3150  50 dB criterion is chosen for acous-
gorized under silence, residential, commercial, industrial tic comfort criteria, when the outdoor noise level is
and mixed type zones and all type of noise sources13. A within 70–75 dB(A). The criterion is enhanced by 5 dB
WHO report19 recommends that noise limits could be (Class A) for an outdoor noise level more than 75 dB(A).
relatively high but rigidly enforced, or have a very low The minimum criterion of weighted sound reduction in-
value with no legal binding whatsoever. Thus, the ambi- dex, R w of 50 dB is judiciously chosen for new buildings
ent standards proposed in the present context recom- for protection against external noise. The detailed expla-
mends reasonable values of ambient noise standards for nation and basis of choosing these values can be found in
various areas or zones (Table 1), so as to strictly enforce Garg et al. 14. The choice between the sound insulation
them for reducing noise pollution in the country13. criterion down to 50 Hz or the common lower limit of
The legal sound insulation requirements are also an- 100 Hz may be exercised22 depending upon the calibra-
other important aspect for controlling noise pollution as tion and measurement capabilities (CMCs) of testing
these are vital to fight against higher ambient noise lev- laboratories engaged in sound transmission loss testing in
els. In view of acoustic comfort, there has been consider- India23,24. Thus, in the Indian context, clear-cut guidelines
able research, particularly in Europe, for better sound for sound regulation requirements like those in European
insulation criteria to regulate the airborne and impact member states shall not only provide a harmonization of
sound insulation between dwellings and airborne sound sound descriptors with those followed in other countries,
insulation of facades. Also, meeting the legal require- but shall also be helpful in reducing the R&D costs for
ments does not guarantee sufficient acoustic comfort. the building industry in India for development of suitable
Hence several countries in Europe have adopted classifi- products or systems with desired noise level reductions25 .
cation schemes for better acoustic comfort which are fur- The technological advancement in building sciences
ther higher criteria than the legal requirements intended adapting for light-weight, dry-wall construction materials
to provide the acoustic comfort. Presently, the National with high strength and rigidity and improved sound insu-
Building Codes of India recommend the sound insulation lation characteristics has to be thus brought in persistent
use in Indian dwellings, rather than relying on massive
constructions26–28. It is envisaged that stricter building
Table 1. Proposed ambient noise standards13 codes with respect to sound insulation requirements of
Area code Category of area/zone LAeq,24h (dB(A))* building elements shall be implemented and strictly en-
forced in National Building Codes of India for new resi-
A Industrial area 70 dential projects and ‘smart cities’ developed in the future
B Commercial area, mixed zone 65
to provide acoustic comfort to residents from the outside
C Residential area** 60
D Silence zone** 55 noise.
*The modified adjustment factors to ISO 1996-1:2003 enlisted in Garg
et al.13 should be applied to the measured LAeq,24h in analysis of envi- Noise pollution control policies and measures
ronmental noise.
**An additional 5 dB(A) relaxation to the existing urban residential The major objectives of a noise control programme
area with high population density and existing areas under silence zone
may be provided by the competent authority depending upon the situa-
should be to identify areas having high ambient noise
tion when there are only few alternatives left for application of noise levels in each part of the city, and evaluating the efficacy
abatement measures. and suitability of noise abatement measures for bringing

CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016 31

GENERAL ARTICLES

Figure 2. Flow chart of a noise pollution control strategy for reducing ambient noise levels in Indian cities.

these levels below the ambient noise standards. An ap- the major objective of such a programme. Adoption of a
propriate noise policy suitable for controlling the noise noise abatement goal as proposed in a Dutch study29 shall
exposure of various sources is necessary. Figure 2 shows provide a roadmap for execution of such a programme at
a comprehensive and modified flow chart of a noise a diversified scale. However, special fundings, support
pollution control strategy for reducing the ambient noise from local municipal authorities, State Pollution Control
levels in Indian cities, as discussed previously13. Noise Boards, transport and development authority such as
zoning based on land-use criteria, noise monitoring and Delhi Development Authority, as well as awareness
noise impact assessment using a validated model and im- among the general are needed for the accomplishment of
plementation of policies and ordinances for noise control targets30. For instance, a noise abatement goal may be
are the various aspects of the noise control programme to formulated as follows: decreasing the number of houses
be emphasized. Noise mapping of the cities and ascertain- exposed to a noise level >75 dB(A) by 100%, >70 dB(A)
ing the compliance of ambient noise standards should be by 90% and >65 dB(A) by 50% to be realized till 2030.

32 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016

 GENERAL ARTICLES
Table 2. Proposed criteria and descriptors for building elements14

Building elements Prescriptive criteria (dB) Verification criteria (dB)

Facades Class A Rw + Ctr,50-3150  55 when Ld > 75 dB(A) Class A D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150 ≥ 50 when Ld > 75 dB(A)
Class B Rw + Ctr,50-3150  50 when 70 ≤ Ld  75 dB(A) Class B D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150  45 when 70  Ld  75 dB(A)
Class C Rw  50 Class C D nT,w  45
Class D Rw  45 Class D D nT,w  40
Between dwellings Class A Rw + C50-3150 ≥ 60 Class A D nT,w + C50-3150  55
Class B Rw + C50-3150 ≥ 55 Class B D nT,w + C50-3150  50
Class C Rw  52 Class C D nT,w  47
Class D Rw  47 Class D D nT,w  42
Rooms in dwelling units Rw  40 D nT,w  35
Classrooms, offices, kitchen Rw  45 D nT,w  40
and utility rooms
Windows* Class A Rw + Ctr,50-3150  35 Class A D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150  30
Class B Rw + Ctr,50-3150  30 Class B D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150  25
Class C Rw  30 Class C D nT,w  25
Class D Rw  25 Class D D nT,w  20
Doors* Class A Rw + Ctr,50-3150  30 Class A D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150  25
Class B Rw + Ctr,50-3150  25 Class B D nT,w + Ctr,50-3150  20
Class C Rw  25 Class C D nT,w  20
Class D Rw  20 Class D D nT,w  15

*If the size of windows and doors is more than 25% of the total area of the facade, the criterion for each class is further enhanced by 5 dB.
Choice between the sound insulation criterion down to 50 Hz, or the common lower limit of 100 Hz may be exercised22 .

Development of noise maps, setting up of expert commit- noise levels provided that the public transport system is
tee for progress review and analysis like the National capable of catering to the daily transport needs of the
Committee for Noise Pollution Control (NCNPC), and public. Installation of noise barriers for the metro trains
targeting a noise abatement goal shall be key steps for running on elevated corridors shall also be helpful in con-
controlling the noise pollution levels in the country. trolling the noise induced due to wheel–rail interaction,
The legal provisions for controlling noise pollution in especially for dwellings located in the immediate vicinity.
India are: Indian Penal Code (section 268, 290, 291); The abatement of aircraft noise particularly for the resi-
Criminal Procedure Code (section 133); Factories Act, dents living near airports is also to be considered by
1948; Motor Vehicles Act, 1988; Law of Torts; Air (Pre- adopting the noise reduction at source itself, optimized
vention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Envi- flights paths and procedures such as continuous descent
ronment (Protection) Act, 1986. Under Air (Prevention approach, land-use planning and operating instructions
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, noise has been in- for low noise emissions from the aircrafts, especially for
cluded in the definition of air pollutant31,32. The following the residential areas and silence zones.
control measures are suggested for noise emitted by vari-
ous sources.
Motor vehicle horn noise

Transportation noise control Horns should be used only as traffic warning devices. A
maximum level, Lmax of 100 dB(A) for noise made up of
Transportation noise due to rail, road and aircraft should a single non-varying loudness is recommended. Experi-
be specifically dealt with respect to the ambient noise mental studies conducted at various sites in Delhi city
standard proposed. The noise legislations for motor vehi- have revealed that for areas with traffic noise having
cles at the manufacturing stage are essential for control- dominant horn noise component, octaves in the frequency
ling transportation noise. The noise limits for vehicles range 2.5–4 kHz are dominant34. Thus, for the abatement
recommended by CPCB as applicable at manufacturing of traffic noise with a dominant horn noise component,
stage from 1 April 2005 should be effectively exercised33. sound insulation in octaves of 2.5–4 kHz should be
Noise regulations should also be planned for future elec- higher. However, the coincidence dip observed in sound
tric and hybrid vehicles. Enforcement of the proposed transmission loss characteristics has to be controlled in
ambient standards shown in Table 1 valid for all the this frequency range.
transportation sources shall be a large step for controlling A back pane thickness of 10 mm is recommended to be
noise pollution. The ‘odd–even restrictions on vehicles’ used in a double glazing with an average air gap of
as executed in January and April 2016 in Delhi city can 50 mm for controlling the coincidence dip. A 7 mm lami-
be also a good step for controlling vehicular traffic and nated glazing (PVB 0.76 mm) in front and 10 mm at the

CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016 33

GENERAL ARTICLES

back with an air gap of 50 mm has R w + Ctr value of helpful in the control of direct field. The reverberant field
40 dB analytically predicted from Insul software35, and can be controlled by applying sound absorptive materials
registers a coincidence dip at 1.6 kHz (mass–air–mass to room surfaces40. Apart from the implementation of occu-
resonance at 63 Hz); it is quite effective for such applica- pational and health safety measures, ear muffs should be
tions. Garg et al.36 described the analytical formulations provided to workers and other staff in the industry for
that can be readily used by manufacturers and architects protecting them against long-term noise exposure.
to predict sound transmission loss in terms of single-
number rating and selection of suitable glazing34,37,38 for
Diesel genset noise
achieving the desired noise-level reductions and reducing
the honking noise.
MoEF notifies that the sale of a product model not having
valid type-approval certificate, or not complying with the
Fire-cracker noise noise limits as determined by the verification for Con-
formity of Production (COP), shall be prohibited in India.
The manufacture, sale or use of fire-crackers generating The noise limit imposed for generator sets run with kero-
noise levels exceeding 125 dB(AI) or 145 dB(C) pk at sene or petrol is 86 dB(A) sound power level41. The
4 m distance from the point of bursting shall be prohib- maximum permissible sound pressure level for new diesel
ited. For individual fire-crackers constituting a series, the generator (DG) sets with rated capacity up to 1000 KVA,
above-mentioned limit may be reduced by 5 log 10(N) dB, manufactured on or after the 1 January 2005 is recom-
where N is the number of crackers joined together 6. The mended as 75 dB(A) at 1 m from the enclosure surface42.
noise from different brands of fire-crackers is tested Noise from the DG set shall be controlled by providing
every year at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New an acoustic enclosure or by treating the room acousti-
Delhi so as to ascertain whether the noise criteria are met cally, at the users end. The acoustic enclosure or acoustic
or not. treatment of the room shall be designed for minimum
25 dB(A) insertion loss or for meeting the ambient noise
standards, whichever is on the higher side. The DG set
Loudspeaker noise and noise from community
shall be provided with proper exhaust muffler with inser-
processions
tion loss of minimum 25 dB(A). Six laboratories in India
have been authorized by MoEF for carrying out type-
The noise level at the boundary of a public place, where a
approval and COP certification all over the country.
loudspeaker or public address system or any other noise
source is being used shall not exceed 10 dB(A) above the
ambient noise standards for the area or 75 dB(A), which- Construction equipment noise
ever is lower6. The peripheral noise level of privately
owned sound system shall not exceed by more than Construction equipment operating in close proximity to
5 dB(A) the ambient air quality standard specified for the residential areas can be of disturbance to the community.
area in which it is used, at the boundary of a private Thus, construction noise and vibration limits are essen-
place. Night-timing restrictions should be imposed on air tial, particularly those related to digging and piling opera-
shows, public demonstrations, etc. In some cases, wher- tions for underground metro stations, etc. Table 3 shows
ever appropriate, fines may also be imposed. the proposed noise limits for general construction at resi-
dential receptors43. The piling and digging operations not
only cause vibrations which may induce cracks in build-
Industrial noise
ing, but also produce airborne sound through building
The areas under industrial zone should follow the ambi-
ent noise standards recommended for such zones, as de- Table 3. Proposed noise limits for commercial activities at residential
scribed in Table 1. The major noise sources in industrial receptors43
units, including heavy machinery, power transformers,
General construction activities
etc. should be enclosed, if possible, so as to reduce the
LAeq,15 min (dB(A))
exposure of workers high noise levels. Exposure to noise
in an occupation environmental is recommended to be Duration of activity
eight-hour continuous A-weighted sound pressure level,
Short Medium Long
LAeq,8h less than 85 dB(A). For peak noise, the limit of C- Time period term term term
weighted peak sound pressure level, LC,peak of 140 dB(C)
is proposed39. Isolating the receiver positions from noisy Daytime 65 60 55
sources by increasing the distance between them and use Evening period (6–10 p.m.) 60 55 50
Late night (10 p.m–6 a.m.) 45 45 45
of source enclosures, control rooms and screen can be

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 GENERAL ARTICLES

Figure 3. Proposed framework for community noise assessment and abatement in India.

Table 4. Proposed noise limits for domestic appliances and construc- cations involved in enforcement of standard noise limits
tion equipment at manufacturing stage for construction equipments especially in residential areas.
Maximum permitted
Domestic appliance sound power level (dB(A))
Noise from domestic appliances
Refrigerator and freezer 55
Washing machine, spin dry 72 Noise control in home appliances has to be economic,
Microwave oven 70
simple and easily implemented as there exists a global
Electrical fan (desk fan, stand fan, wall fan, 70
ceiling fan) competition among manufacturers. An overall reduction
Vacuum cleaner and dryer 70 of radiated noise levels of 6 and 10 dB have been re-
Indoor heater 55 ported in the domestic dryer and vacuum cleaner respec-
Air conditioners (split, indoor) 72 tively, using the developed jute felt acoustical blanket44.
Air coolers 72
Sound labelling of appliances shall be a helpful tool for
Hair dryer 75
Portable gensets (petrol or kerosene) 86 creating awareness amongst manufacturers and customers
Food processor 90 about increasing the product quality by reducing noise
Food blender 100 emitted from the domestic appliances45. The noise limits
Lawn movers, welding generators, compressors 110 should preferably be considered in terms of sound power
Handheld concrete breakers 120
level46, which is constant for a given source and is inde-
pendent of the acoustic environment. Sound power meas-
urements LWA are measured according to ISO 3744 (ref.
elements, which can be of annoyance to the residents. 47) and ISO 3746 (ref. 48). Table 4 shows the proposed
The noise labelling of construction equipment should be noise limits for domestic appliances and construction
made mandatory as there are sometimes practical compli- equipment at the manufacturing stage.

CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016 35

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Figure 4. Illustrative noise ordinance signs for public awareness towards noise pollution control52,53 .

Thus, the noise standards for all the sources in con- Conclusion and recommendations
junction with the enforcement of the proposed ambient
noise standards and legal sound insulation requirements A retrospective view of noise policies and ordinances in
shall be a vital step in fighting the noise pollution in India and proposes revisions in them for noise abatement
India. Figure 3 assimilates all the measures, policies and and control based on the available knowledge on noise
discusses a proposed framework for community noise as- policies and regulations followed in other countries is
sessment and abatement in India as suggested in some provided here. The work focused on inclusion of noise
studies49–51. Illustrative noise ordinances sign (Figure 4), limits for construction activities, and domestic appliances
as suggested by Chanaud52, can be an effective step for apart from revision in ambient noise standards and Na-
educating about the existence and enforcement of noise tional Building Codes for enhancing the sound insulation
ordinances, especially for heavy traffic density areas53. of building elements for protection against noise pollu-
Proper measures should be undertaken to avoid long-term tion. The noise limits for domestic appliances, motor
noise exposure to school children susceptible to higher vehicles and construction equipment at the manufacturing
noise levels during the mass-drill events, etc. Traffic stage and enforcement of ambient noise standards shall
policeman should be provided with ear-muffs so as to be helpful in controlling noise pollution in India.
avoid hearing loss due to their prolonged exposure to The implementation of noise pollution control meas-
long-term traffic noise. It is envisaged that awareness ures essentially requires a strategic noise abatement plan-
among general public in maintaining a ‘noise-free com- ning with enforcement of proposed ambient standards,
munity’ is a must. Participation of NGOs and social web- revision in National Building Codes, exercising control
sites54 in creating awareness and educating people about limits on all the noisy sources and formulation of noise
noise and associated health hazards apart from school and abatement goal. The suggested flow chart for reducing
college curriculum shall be a great step in this regard. the ambient noise levels and targeting a noise abatement
The noise grievances cell as a part of State Pollution goal shall be a vital step in this regard for environmental
Control Boards should be proactive in receiving, analys- protection in future. Identification of noisy hot spots hav-
ing and taking appropriate action on complaints. Such ing higher LAeq,24h sound levels than the recommended
complaints are more particularly on festival days as re- limits and implementing suitable noise abatement meas-
ported by Mandal and Bandyopadhyay55. Establishment ures shall be indispensable for noise pollution control.
of these noise grievance cells in each district and helpline Provision for the erection of noise barriers, especially for
number for easy accessibility and freedom to file a com- sensitive areas like hospitals, schools, colleges, old-age
plaint can be a proactive step in this regard. Educative homes, religious institutions, etc. and other areas lying in
and innovative programmes such as organizing ‘Noise the silence zone should be made in future projects
Awareness Campaigns’, ‘Dhwani Pradushan Niyantran planned. Studies on socio-acoustic surveys with an objec-
Diwas’ (noise pollution control day) and integrating tive of correlating the noise annoyance with exposure,
‘Noise Pollution Control Mission’ as a part of the ongo- effect of noise levels on the human body and hearing
ing ‘Swatch Bharat Mission’ introduced by the Govern- loss, on workers in industry, effect of noise exposure on
ment of India shall be indispensable in controlling noise traffic policeman and workers at construction sites, etc.
pollution in India. Socio-acoustic surveys, noise impact should also be conducted in parallel for increasing
assessment studies due to various noise sources, and awareness of society towards controlling noise pollution
noise monitoring during festival days should be con- levels in the country. It is envisaged that the proposed
ducted in parallel to quantify the noise impact and standards, revision in National Building Codes and noise
assessment of induced noise annoyance56–60. control measures shall be indispensable in the development

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India. airborne sound insulation and single-number quantities: strategy &
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quite-please-no-honking-unless-for-danger-sign/sku-k-6179.aspx Received 10 July 2015; revised accepted 29 February 2016
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Press_Coverage.html doi: 10.18520/cs/v111/i1/29-38

38 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 1, 10 JULY 2016