Despite steps, Lucknow noise pollution levels stay high

UP government had directed DMs and SPs to ensure removal of ‘unauthorised’ loudspeakers and public address systems installed at religious and other public places across UP to curb pollution level.

The area near high court guest house on Lal Bahadur Shastri road has the maximum noise pollution level (68.3 decibels) among residential areas as against the permissible limit of 45 decibels and 55 decibels during night and day hours respectively, shows a survey by the pollution control board (PCB).

In commercial areas, the point near Burlington crossing recorded the highest noise pollution – 68.1 dB against the permissible limit 55 dB at night and 65 dB in day time.

The PCB team also collected noise level data from seven other points in the city.

PCB officials said after undertaking many exercises to curb noise pollution, the survey result seemed less satisfactory. “But it’s good when compared to previous figures,” said a PCB official.

On January 7, the UP government had directed DMs and SPs to ensure removal of ‘unauthorised’ loudspeakers and public address systems installed at religious and other public places across UP to curb pollution level.

The district administration removed over 1,200 ‘illegal’ loudspeakers from various places. But it seems that the exercise had “very little effect” on the noise pollution graph.

Kaushal Raj Sharma, Lucknow district magistrate, said, “A lot more has to be done to bring down noise pollution levels. We have constituted 10 teams of administrative officials who will work along with PCB officials to keep a check on noise pollution. We will also be more vigilant to curb use of illegal loudspeakers.”

“The idea behind the noise pollution check was to ascertain the city’s noise pollution level after carrying out many exercises to curb pollution,” said Sharma.

On DM’s directives, PCB officials carried out the check at eight places in Lucknow, including residential, commercial and silence zones.

Barring the CM’s residence on 5 KD Marg, other residential pockets did not witness much respite from noise pollution. At the CM’s residence, the noise pollution level was recorded at 52.6 dB, against permissible limit of 45 and 55 dB in night and day time respectively.

Lalbagh (54.3 dB) was another residential area where the noise pollution level was found slightly below normal.

The noise pollution level near Central Command on MG road, Cantt – another residential area – was recorded at 65.4 dB, which was the second highest after guest house, high court, on Lal Bahadur Shastri road (68.3 dB).

The situation was no different in commercial areas. The PCB team covered two such areas in the survey.

Near Annexe gate number 1, a commercial area, the noise pollution level recorded was 67.4 dB. It was second highest after Burlington crossing (68.1 dB).

Apart from residential and commercial areas, the team also found that the noise pollution level was high in the silence zone – near Balrampur Hospital in Golaganj (53.5 dB, against permissible limit of 40 and 50 decibels during night and day).