Hyderabadis are victims of perpetual noise pollution according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. Data pertaining to ambient noise level from continuous monitoring stations set up by the CPCB concludes that the city residents are subjected to high noise levels at all times.
These stations set up at five different locations show that irrespective of the location, whether residential, commercial, or sensitive zones, and irrespective of the timing, i.e, day or night, readings are way above the safety standard and can thus have dangerous impacts on people’s health. In April, the average noise level in Jubilee Hills, a residential area, during day time was 56 decibels and 48 dBs at night. The maximum under the rules should be 55 dB for daytime and 45 for the night. Peak values recorded here were a shocking 71 dB.
Panjagutta, a commercial area, registered a day time average of 75 dB and night time of 70 dB; the peak value was 84 dB. Abids, another commercial area that was monitored, recorded 72 dB (day time) and 62 dB (night time) with a peak value of 83 dB. The day time standard value for commercial areas has been fixed at 65 dB and night time at 55 db. As such, both these places have noise levels far more than the maximum permissible limit.
Zoo Park is a sensitive area, where the average day time noise levels should not exceed 50 dB, and night time should not be more than 40 dB. Decibel recordings were just marginally higher at 53 dB for the day time and 48 dB at night, but an alarmingly high peak value of 72 dB. Manual reading averages at six stations last year showed that Paradise had noise levels recorded up to 74 dB, Charminar recorded 80 dB and KBRN Park had 62 dB .