Hearing loss is the most
obvious health threat posed by noise pollution
In today's world of scientific advancements, the menace of pollution seems to
browbeat the discoveries and lingers on as a permanent irritation for the
mankind the target sufferers remaining the urban dwellers.
Environmental pollution is the product of human settlement patterns and
activities. The environmental quality of developing countries mega-cities
experiencing urbanization like Karachi is an issue of global concern.
The composition of vehicular traffic, which is responsible for noise and air
pollution, is categorically different from those in the developed countries.
Noise pollution in the developing countries comparatively a less attended area
in the contemporary studies on sustainable development. Because of its less
visible impact, particularly in developing countries, it occupies low level
priority since other issues like waste water, solid waste, air pollution etc.
has to be attended first. Nevertheless, its impact and importance cannot be
ignored.
In Pakistan's contemporary researches, the inter-relationship of noise pollution
vis-a-vis urban parameters seems to be left unaddressed.
For Karachi the following nonstructural measures are recommended: routing and
rerouting of traffic; effective control over the use of horns; disallowing
workshops in the vicinity of residential and commercial areas; construction
activities at night/ during holidays in residential areas and amplitude of sound
for azaan/ sermons/prayers higher than specified limits as offences.
Implications for Karachiites:
Noise levels prevailing in a society also determines the behaviour index.
Similarly irritation and anger level in noisy community is much higher than in a
community living with low noise levels.
Noise pollution results in violence of varying nature culminating into murders
on issues which would appear absolutely insignificant and which could have been
solved by dialogue at low anger level.
Apart from these, hearing loss is the most obvious health threat posed by noise
polluting but it is by no means the only one. Exposure to unwanted noise
involuntarily induces stress, and stress can lead to a variety of physical
ailments including an increase in heart beat rate, high blood pressure, elevated
levels of blood cholesterol, ulcers, headaches and colitis.
Noisy surroundings at home and school can adversely affect children, language
development and their ability to read. Levels of outdoor noise are directly
related to population destiny.
Whereas, Karachi would become the fourth largest populated megacity by 2025.
Therefore there are high chances of increase in the noise levels which
ultimately would result in the noise-related public health problems.