Starting with air pollution, which is the gruesome form of noise pollution, it originates mainly from vehicular emissions. It includes nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fine particulate matter (PM). These pollutants have adverse effects on mental and physical health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed several recommendations to reduce air pollution. Reports from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the World Heart Federation published in 2024 have highlighted that air pollution is the biggest environmental risk. It leads to an increase in heart diseases, which include cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, asthma, and other illnesses. Globally, 1.9 million people have lost their lives due to heart disease caused by toxic air. The highest number of deaths due to air pollution is observed in India, China, and countries around the Eastern Mediterranean. It is a major cause of disease and death worldwide. Several studies and reports worldwide have been published to understand the severity of air pollution's impact on human health. Therefore, taking strong actions against air pollution is necessary for us to stay healthy and safe.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change initiated the installation of the "Real-Time Ambient Noise Monitoring Network" in May 2011, spending millions of rupees to track the fluctuations in noise pollution. This initiative was a collaboration between the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and Delhi Technological University (DTU), as published in the Current Science journal. CPCB established Class 1 quality 70 noise monitoring stations in 7 cities (Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai) to identify and control the rising levels of traffic-induced noise pollution. Three out of every ten stations were designated as silent zones. However, the ground reality paints a different picture.CPCB has set four measurable limits for noise pollution from 10 PM to 6 AM: 75 dB(A) during the day and 70 dB(A) at night in industrial areas, 65 dB(A) during the day and 55 dB(A) at night in commercial areas, 55 dB(A) during the day and 45 dB(A) at night in residential areas, and 50 dB(A) during the day and 40 dB(A) at night in silent zones. In reality, these levels exceed the specified standards, ranging from 80-90 dB(A). When it comes to reducing noise pollution levels beyond these standards, district magistrates, police administration, CPCB, and regional authorities tend to turn a blind eye due to a lack of awareness about noise pollution.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports indicate that noise pollution has a detrimental effect not only on children, adults, and the elderly but also on animals and the surrounding environment. Although CPCB has established 70 noise monitoring stations in 7 cities, the increasing population and vehicular influx are causing noise pollution to exceed 80-90 decibels, whether in industrial zones or silent zones. However, when it comes to reducing decibel levels, discrepancies arise at the main server of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and in the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the display of noise pollution figures suddenly stops or the readings become stable over time.
In India, with a population of 1.4 billion, information has been provided to many people about the expenditure of millions of rupees by the Spanish company GEONICA to set up air and noise pollution monitoring terminals at various locations in several cities to record and identify the levels of air and noise pollution. Today, if the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the state pollution control boards had spent as much on spreading awareness since the industrial revolution, then India would not be ranked second on the world map for noise pollution cases and third for air pollution cases.
It is noteworthy that the general public in India has not been adequately informed and made aware of the measures being taken to control air and noise pollution. If the government and related institutions had focused more on public awareness, the situation regarding pollution would not have been so severe. It is essential that citizens are provided with accurate information and education about the harmful effects of air and noise pollution and the ways to reduce them, so they can actively participate in solving this serious problem. On the other hand, an official Google application called "Noise Tracker" has been developed to measure noise pollution decibel levels. The inventors of this application are a senior engineer, Satish Lokhande, from the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur, and his young colleagues. This application is being used in cities in several countries. The government and institutions should be more active and responsible in spreading awareness to mitigate these harmful impacts on the environment and health.
Gandhiji rightly said that nature is capable of giving us more than what we need, but not beyond greed. His foresight taught him that one day we would need to conserve nature, not exploit it. Currently, our relationship with nature is one of greed rather than reverence. We are exploiting nature to fulfill our needs, which will become a major problem for future generations without thoughtful consideration. Respecting Gandhiji's thoughts, we should live our lives in safe and natural conditions. To control noise pollution, a comprehensive and effective perspective involving all sections of society is necessary. To ensure this, we need to strengthen the legal framework through strict compliance with the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000. Additionally, to increase public awareness, we should organize awareness programs about the adverse effects of noise pollution in schools, colleges, and community centers. Utilizing traffic police, media, social media, and other digital platforms is crucial for widespread information on the dangers of noise pollution and ways to mitigate it.The role of non-governmental organizations and community groups is also vital in inspiring people for awareness and collective action against noise pollution. The use of silencers for vehicles should be mandatory to reduce noise pollution, and promoting new technologies and innovations is also necessary. Encouraging community participation, raising awareness among local communities about the impacts of noise pollution, and involving them in its solution are essential. Community monitoring programs through sound level monitoring should be organized, and measures for its control should be taken in collaboration with local administration. Regular monitoring of noise pollution levels and researching its impacts is crucial to review policies and find new and effective solutions based on the data obtained.