Chilla Matt! Mumbai teens raise their voice against noise on Facebook

Six months after Mumbai was adjudged the noisiest city in India, the group of 19-year-old’s have taken to Facebook to highlight the have been highlighting problems faced by animals, marine mammals and people through eye-catching images, quotes and newspaper articles.

A group of four advertising students from Thadomal Shahani Centre for Media & Communication (TSCMC), Bandra (West), have started a social media campaign, Chilla Matt, to inform citizens about the health hazards of noise pollution.

The group that has taken up the cause -- Kantesh Keswani, Harshida Shah, Raina Saxena and Iesha Chaudhari. (HT)

Six months after Mumbai was adjudged the noisiest city in India, the group of 19-year-old’s have taken to Facebook to highlight the have been highlighting problems faced by animals, marine mammals and people through eye-catching images, quotes and newspaper articles.

Mentored by Sumaira Abdulali from NGO Awaaz Foundation, Kantesh Keswani, Harshida Shah, Raina Saxena and Iesha Chaudhari were assigned a live project by their college, where they had to take up a social cause and promote it on social media. “We chose this topic because most people are unaware of the consequences of noise pollution. They are just accustomed to it. That defined our objective to create awareness,” said Shah.

The page, which has got close to 100 likes, identifies issues and hazards of high decibel levels caused by honking, vehicles, construction, airplanes and railways. “We hope this campaign will alter people’s perception, so they make a conscious effort to bring down the decibel levels both in private and public domain,” said Keshwani.

The dean of the college, Joyanto Mukherjee, introduced the students to anti-noise crusader Abdulali. “While there were a wide variety of topics to choose from, the students picked noise pollution as it affects their daily lives. The students began from identifying the issue from a busy traffic junction in Bandra, located close to the college,” said Mukherjee

“The students have started something that is enterprising and will draw people’s attention through their catchy slogans, along with relevant and concise information on their page,” said Abdulali. “The fact that the youth is speaking up about the issue goes to show its importance and limited awareness among citizens for tackling the menace.”

HOW MUCH NOISE IS TOO MUCH?

Healthy hearing threshold 0dB

Pin dropping 10dB

Rustling leaves 20dB

Sound of river water 40dB

Light traffic, refrigerator 50dB

Conversational speech,

air conditioner 60dB

Vacuum cleaner 75dB

Alarm clock 80dB

Live Rock Band 115dB

Steel mill 120dB

Thunderclap, chain saw 130dB

Jet take-off (at 25 metres) 150dB

(Decibel scale chart from World Health Organisation)