The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has conducted a study to measure the noise level, due to loudspeakers used in the religious places in the villages across state.
PPCB chairman Kahan Singh Pannu said this is for the first time that such a study has been conducted. As per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, of 2000, the permissible noise limits during night hours (10.00pm to 6.00am) at residential areas is 45dB (decibel).
Pannu added that noise monitoring was carried out at boundary walls at 50m, 100m and 200m distance from religious places. “It was found that the noise level at the boundary wall was 60-88dB, at 50m; 53-87dB at 100m; and 50-72dB at 200m, which was much above the permissible limit of 45dB,” he said.
Pannu added that higher values of noise pollution in villages has an adverse effect on the human health viz fatigue of the hearing or auditory organs, deafness, annoyance, hypertension, change of the rate of heart beat, vertigo effects, cardiovascular effects, etc.
He said that the Akal Takht has issued a ‘Hukamnama,’ directing all gurdwaras to keep the volume of speakers within permissible limits.
Pannu appealed to the gurdwaras, temples and mosques’ managing committees to act as per their legal, religious and moral responsibilities to keep the noise pollution limits under control.