Noise Pollution in Mumbai

Krista Roluahpuia Khiangte Roll number - 10i12007 28th Feb, 2010.

Introduction
Mumbai together with Navi Mumbai and Thane it is one of the most populous city in the world. Due to the strength of the population the production of Noise is also very high. The Central Pollution Control Board has labelled Mumbai as the worlds noisiest city. According to Maharashtra Pollution Control Board the contributing factors include construction work, vehicular and air traffic. Seasonal Noise pollution due to various religious matter and New Year celebration is also contributing enormously to the noise content for some particular duration. But in my project I will be switching to the pollution produced by mainly the construction sites, vehicular and air traffic.

Methodology
I collected the data from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The data consist of the carefully observed noise level using Noise meter during the two days of December in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The data were analysed for each year. Each places (samples) where the noise was recorded were divided into different zones like Silent Zone, Residential Zone, Commercial Zone and Industrial Zones. Comparisons were made with graph for different zones, variation for day and night and were compared with the criteria given by the law. After analysing it various conclusions were drawn. With these conclusions for each year comparison was again made for different years .i.e., 2008, 2009 and 2010. Based on the interpretation of the analysed data suggestions were made for the implementations.

Data Analysis
Comparison for the noise during day time and night time for 14th Dec, 2008 Comparison for the noise during day time and night time for 15 th &16th Dec, 2008

Leq

L10

68.671.468.4 66 Day

L50 L90 77.8 73.4 73.370.2

80 70 60

Leq
L10 L50

Night

Day

Night

L90

Figure 1: Comparison for the noise during day time and night time for 14th Dec, 2008.

100 80 60 40 20 0

Silence Zone on 14th Dec,08(Day)

Silence Zone on 14&15th Dec,08(Night)

80
60 40 20

dB(A)

dB(A)

Lcr Leq L10 L50

Lcr

Leq
L10 L50 L90

L90
Figure 2: Comparisons of Silence Zone with criteria .i.e., Lcr (2008). Comparisons for Commercial Area on 14th and 15th of December, 2008

Comparisons of Residential Area with criteria(14th &16th Dec,08)

Lcr(dB)

Leq(dB)

L10(dB)

L50(dB)

L90(dB)

100 80 60 40 20 0

Lcr Leq L10 L50 L90

14th Dec, 14th & 15th 14th Dec, 14th & 15th 08(Day/ AntopDec, 08(Night/ 08(Day/ Dec, 08(Night/ Hill) Antop Hill) Shivaji Park) Shivaji Park)

Figure 3: Comparison of Residential and Commercial Area with the criteria(2008).

Comparisons for Industrial Area on 14th & 15th Dec, 2008.

Comparisons for Industrial area on 15th & 16th of Dec, 2008.

Lcr

Leq

L10

L50

L90

Lcr

Leq

L10

L50

L90

Figure 4: Comparison of the Industrial Zone with the criteria .i.e., Lcr(2008).

100Noise in Mumbai on 13th & 14th Dec, 2009(Night) 80 60 40 20 0

High Court Mumbadevi Antop Hill Shivaji Park Airport Giregaon Vashi Naka Ghatkopar Charkop National Park

Comparisons of Day and Night on 14th Dec, 2009.

dB(A)

Leq(dB) Leq L10 L50

L10(dB)

L50(dB)

L90(dB)

70.3 75.6 70.5 64.4

63.6 68.5 63.3 59

L90
Day Night

Figure 5: Noise in Mumbai and comparison between day and Night for 2009.

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lcr(dB) Leq(dB)

L10(dB)
L50(dB) L90(dB)

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

dB(A)

dB(A)

Lcr Leq L10 L50 L90

Figure 6: Comparison of Silence Zone and Residential Zone with the criteria(2009).

Comparisons for Commercial Area on 14 th and 15th of December, 2009

Comparisons for Industrial Area on 13th & 14th Dec, 09.

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lcr Leq L10 L50

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lcr Leq

L10 L50
L90

L90

Figure 7: Comparison of Commercial Zone and Industrial Zone with the criteria .i.e., L cr.

Noise in Mumbai on 13th Dec, 2008(Day time)

100 80 dB(A) 60 40 20 0 High Court Mumbadevi National Park Antop Hill Shivaji Park Airport Ghatkopar Vashi Naka Giregaon Charkop Leq L10 L50

Silence Zone on 13th Dec,10(Day)

100 80 dB(A) 60 40 20 0

Lcr Leq
L10 L50 L90

L90

Figure 8: Noise level in various places and comparison of Silence Zone with the criteria(2010).

Comparisons of Residential Area with criteria(13th &14th Dec,10)

Comparisons for Commercial Area on 12 th and 13th of December, 2010

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Antop Antop Shivaji Shivaji Hill, Hill, Park, Park, Day night Day Night Lcr(dB) Leq(dB)

L10(dB) L50(dB)
L90(dB)

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lcr Leq L10 L50

L90

Figure 9: Comparisons of Residential and Commercial zone with the criteria(2010).

Comparisons for Industrial Area on 12th & 13th Dec, 08.

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Comparisons for Industrial Area on 13th & 14th Dec, 08.

Lcr Leq L10 L50 L90

Lcr Leq L10 L50 L90

Figure 10: Comparisons of Industrial Zones with the criteria .i.e., Lcr (2010).

Interpretation of data
From the above data analysis( most of the graphs written in my project report was not included) interpretations were made: 1. In 2008 the Silence zone i.e., High Court suffer the lowest noise pollution. But in the other years the residential areas produced minimum noise pollution. In 2010 the average noise pollution for Residential zone was about 55dBA. Which is much less as compared to the rest of the zones. 2. For day and night though a little variation in the noise level was found in 2009 and 2010 they are very much above the bar .i.e., the criteria given above which noise cannot be produced. In 2008, the noise level for night is more than the noise level at day time. 3. Almost all the zones exceed the bar limit. Given in the graph, the noise data plot are floating over the criteria. The criteria is the level above which if noise is produced it becomes an offence to the law as stated in Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 : Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000. 4. In all the three years the Industrial zones maintain the noise level more or less around the bar limit. Specially in 2009 and 2010 the noise level produced were below the noise bar limit. 5. There is a considerable decrease in the noise level for the Residential zone from 2008 till 2010. 6. Interestingly the level of noise produced is increasing for the case of Silence Zone from 2008 till 2010. In 2010 the recorded noise level was 74.1 dBA which is more than 24 dBA of the maximum allowed noise level. 7. In all the three years the commercial area had a constant noise level with an average of 75dBA. In 2009 Ghatkopar had a record of 80.4 dBA. Vashi Naka had the highest record of noise level with 83.3dBA. 8. Commercial area is the noisiest zone. 9. Residential zone suffer the lowest noise pollution.

Conclusions
Based on the interpretation of the analysed data above various conclusions were made: 1. Poor Management of Noise Level in Mumbai. This is very clear because Commercial Areas are the noisiest. 2. Almost all the areas except Industrial zones in Mumbai are above the allowed values of Noise level. 3. Silence Zones are poorly managed. 4. Poor awareness about Noise in Mumbai. 5. There seems to be some affective ways of controlling noise pollution specially in the Residential zones. Because the level of the noise decreased from 2008 till 2010 for this zone.

Follow- up actions (with suggestions)

From this data analysis I have made the following implementations with suggestions which can be easily done in the near future: 1. I tell about my findings to my friends specially who visited me in my room. Many of them were embarrassed with the results. 2. My friends ( from my department) help me in interpretation of the data thereby I gave them a chance to participate in Noise control. 3. I will write an article on Noise Pollution in our own dialect which is to be published in our state capital, Aizawl daily newspaper. 4. Students of ES- 658 can organize DIWALI OATH in different department and campus schools. This is one kind of oath not to burn crackers during religious events specially during Diwali and New Year celebrations. 5. We can also buy the noise meter from the Princess Street and record the noise level. If we find anyone producing noise above the bar limit we can immediately approach the commissioner of police and deputy commissioner of police with a demand for them to take action against violators.

Suggestions
The possible solutions that can help in improving the noise pollution in and around Mumbai are listed below: 1. Construction of more Sound barrier like what was did in Bandra Kurla Link Road (BKLR), Mumbai. 2. Noise mapping is urgently needed. 3. Setting up of Noise monitoring stations. 4. The civic body should notify rules to regulate noise levels at construction sites, including for interior decoration work, along with work timings, type of equipment, etc. 5. Traffic noise can be controlled by the regional transport office with help from the traffic police by ensuring good driving skills during licensing and strict compliance with lane discipline and anti-honking rules.

References
1. Mumbais pleas against noise pollution fall on deaf ears by Phil Hazlewood / AFP. 2. Noise Monitoring in Metro Cities of Maharashtra 2008, 2009 and 2010 by

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.

3. Horn Not Ok Please: Sounding off on Mumbai's nuisance noise - Anuradha Sengupta. 4. Noise Pollution in Mumbai: Awaaz Foundation. 5. Noise pollution hits the blind hard by Kanchan Srivastava : Daily News & Analysis. 6. City students pledge pollution-free Diwali: Times of India. 7. Construction of Noise Barrier at Bandra Kurla Link

Road (BKLR), Mumbai :

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority