MPCB bureaucrats make noise about city din levels

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is all set to launch noise-monitoring controls in Mumbai and five other cities in the state, but officials believe that there is a need to revise the prescribed noise levels for the city. MPCB believes that their plan to bring these noise monitoring control stations would be a success if the government comes up with a development plan for the city.

According to the MPCB officials, after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) analysis found Mumbai to be the noisiest city in India after a series of regular ambient noise monitoring from 2011 to 2014. The 10 locations in Mumbai and other five from across the state will enable the citizens to map noise pollution levels via decibel readings in the respective areas. Apart from Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Kolhapur too will see the stations coming up. There will be hourly and weekly noise (decibel) data available on the pollution watchdog’s website for the people. “The idea is to identify the noisiest parts of the city with the help of citizens and develop an action plan to tackle the nuisance,” said Mr Sanjay Bhuskute, public relation officer of MPCB. He further added that the government should come up with development plans.

“Permissible levels of the noise should be increased in order to get more appropriate data.”

City-based environmentalist-cum social activist Sumaira Abdulali, founder of Awaaz Foundation said, “Noise is a health issue. The latest high court order of August 2016 clearly states that everybody will have to obey the current permissible noise limit. However, the ministry since 2009 has been constantly trying to revise the noise permissible limits but have not been successful.”