Nightlife making nights noisier

NIGHTS IN Lucknow are getting noisier! This may give many a reason why they are spending sleepless nights these days.

NIGHTS IN Lucknow are getting noisier! This may give many a reason why they are spending sleepless nights these days.

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But, ITRC experts have a decibel survey to prove how residential and commercial areas are registering the rise in sound pollution, and not the industrial ones. In the industrial areas, nighttime noise levels are not only falling, but are also dropping far below the permissible levels. In both residential areas and commercial areas, nighttime noise levels have risen far above the permissible limits.

This is the finding of recent survey by Indian Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow. ITRC surveyed four areas under Residential areas—Aliganj, Vikas Nagar, Indira Nagar and Gomti Nagar. In all the four areas the nighttime noise levels are much above the permissible limit for the night. And in Vikas Nagar, Indira Nagar and Gomti Nagar they have risen compared to previous years. In Aliganj the level is same as that of the last year.

In commercial areas—Charbagh, Hussainganj, Chowk, Aminabad and Alambagh noise levels have fallen during the nighttime compared to last year, but they continue to be far above the permissible levels.

ITRC scientists attribute the rise to increased vehicular movement during the night—both in volume and timings. Community religious functions too are a factor that have increased during the nights in these areas. And then there is increased use of fire-crackers in the marriages.