Hodgepodge on roads: Rising number of vehicles adds to noise pollution in city

Studies show permissible level is 85dB but Peshawar has noise of over 100dB

PESHAWAR: The ever-increasing number of private vehicles combined with the sound of obsolete engines in public buses and rickshaws has added to rising noise pollution in the city. The noise level has moved out of the safe limit set by the World Health Organisation for human ear.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Traffic Department Deputy Superintendent of Police Rahim Hussain confirmed the cause of noise pollution, saying the public transport system could be improved as a measure to tackle the issue.

He added the traffic police department was trying their level best to impose penalty on the drivers who use pressure horns or have faulty silencers in their vehicles.

When asked if any measures have been taken to protect traffic wardens from suffering from hearing complications, Hussain said the government has not yet provided any facility like ear plugs for the traffic wardens who are more exposed to noise pollution than anyone else.

Heavy on ears, roads

The level of noise pollution is rising despite the presence of laws that discourage the causes. As per Clause 3 of Pakistan Environmental Protection Motor Vehicle Regulations, 2016, a person shall not operate a vehicle from which air pollutants or noise is emitted in an amount which exceeds the National Environmental Quality Standards for vehicular emissions.

The standard is 85 decibels (dB). However, a study conducted by Khyber Medical College reveals noise produced by car horns in the city was 95dB, while that of pressure horns of trucks was 104dB.

Since the number of vehicles on the city roads is ever-increasing – noise pollution under such circumstances becomes inevitable.

A study published in Research Journal of South Asian Studies shows the rate of increase in number of vehicles in Peshawar was 126.4% while the road networks were expanding at 0.85%.

Health hazards

The health experts believe noise pollution may cause blood pressure complications in those commuters who are regularly exposed to high levels of noise. Dr Fouzullah, a senior cardiologist at District Headquarters Hospital Lower Dir told The Express Tribune over the phone that those experiencing noise beyond permissible level may suffer from blood pressure complications.

He explained when commuters on roads regularly face noise their body excretes a sort of hormone. He added excretion of such hormones [due to noise pollution] on a regular basis may cause blood pressure.

Moreover, psychiatrists believe problems pertaining to the mind are reported in people from those areas where the noise level is beyond the permissible limit. Dr Azaz Jamal, at the psychiatric unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar, told The Express Tribune people who are exposed to high level of noise regularly may suffer from anxiety, sleep disorder, restlessness and tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in ears).

An environmentalist, Adil Zareef, who heads Sarhad Conservation Network in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, has said measures must be taken to control noise pollution by trashing obsolete vehicles from the roads.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2016.