Loudspeaker usage ruffles citizens

Where land, air, and water pollution have already compromised the quality of life of locals in the port city, the latest source of nuisance in town are hawkers with blaring loudspeakers, who in their eagerness to sell their products, are disturbing the tranquillity of millions.

Despite the declaration of the Sindh Sound System Act of 2015, which prohibits the generation of any unnecessary noise through a loudspeaker, a large population of street vendors and hawkers have started openly using loudspeakers for attracting customers, causing significant trouble to residents, especially the sick and elderly.

“These days it has become increasingly common for fruit, vegetable, and scrap vendors to use loudspeakers for carrying out their business activities in residential areas. This is a major source of mental agony for households with sick or elderly members,” deplored Jamila, a resident of Mahmudabad.

Concurring with Jamila, Abbas, another local, added that apart from residential areas, fruit vendors situated on the city’s main avenues were also unnecessarily using loudspeakers for attracting customers. “The ear-splitting noise infuriates me every time I have to pass through these areas during my regular commute,” shared Abbas, who also felt that the fruit vendors were instigating major road encroachments on the highways.

Vendors, however, are of the opinion that their usage of loudspeakers cannot be declared unlawful since it promotes their livelihood. “How else can we announce the prices of fruits and vegetables to locals without using a loudspeaker?” retorted Ikram, a fruit vendor, who felt that his usage of the loudspeaker was only to assist him in his commercial activities and unlike wedding celebrations, was not for frivolous purposes Ikram’s assertion holds value given the confirmation of citizens like Sohail who reveal that in most areas, loudspeakers are still used late in the night for wedding events. “Songs are played on loop in these gatherings and we have to endure sleepless nights,” he complained.

According to Liaquat Gabol, a legal expert, the misuse of loudspeakers has rampantly increased in the city under the nose of the local administration, which fails to implement the Sindh Sound Speaker Act of 2015, jeopardising the quality of life of the citizens.

“There is a limit to the hearing capacity of humans and if a person is regularly exposed to piercing noises, eventually their hearing will be affected,” warned Dr Abdul Razzak Dogar, Head of the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Department at the Jinnah Hospital, who appealed to the district government to control the usage of loudspeakers.

District administration officials, however, refuse to take responsibility for the outright violation of the loudspeaker usage regulations claiming instead that it is the purview of the police to implement the laws pertaining to loudspeakers.

Commenting on the issue, a spokesman for the Sindh Police claimed that the Sindh Sound Speaker Act of 2015 is implemented in accordance with the law and action is taken against the violators. “If the government issues any directive against the usage of loudspeakers by small-scale businesses, then we will deal with it appropriately,” he asserted while speaking to The Express Tribune.

design: mohsin alam

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2023.