People advocating permission for playing amplified music and holding parties in
Goa beyond the prescribed time limit on regular basis on grounds of Culture and
Tourism, can be called as the illiterate and uneducated section of the
population. I say ‘can be called’ because many literates include in this
section, but are devoid of a rational mind.
First and foremost sound is amplified so that people at a specified distance
can hear. Like the inside a big church, temple, mosque, or within the perimeter
of a dance floor. But no, our party organizers want the music louder than that;
our priests want even the people on the roads to listen to their sermons. It is
like forcing someone to listen when they are not even interested; much liken to
political meetings. Recently a church in Margão has installed speakers on the
exterior facing the outside much like mosques in the Muslim countries, and the
on goings can be heard from the public roads a hundred meters away. The
interior of this Church too is filled up with speakers.
Secondly, sound above 70 decibels damages hearing ability in the long run and
beyond 140 decibels causes severe pain. In all industries it is mandatory to
wear certified noise reducing earplugs / ear mufflers in areas where the sound
is above 70 decibels.
In Goa, unlike some 40 years back, we see people on the roads talking to one
another loud enough that someone 20 metres away can hear, although the person
he’s talking to is just 2 feet from him. When we attend some function or
parties, people need to be louder than the music playing to converse with one
another. Very often we turn to see who someone is shouting at, only to realize
he’s talking on his mobile. Some car users want people on the road to know they
have a music system in their cars as the music is heard well beyond 50 meters
at times.
‘The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000’, stipulates that
night means 10:00 pm to 6:00 am, and that in residential areas the sound level
during the night time should not be above 55 - 45 decibels.
These people should realize that music above 70 decibels is no music to the
ears, but noise. And our priests too should know that a church is a place for
prayer and not for bellowing.
Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão.
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Green cities and the melting world
http://green.in.msn.com/
