Sound Menace in our Neighborhoods

Section 19(iv) of the Kerala Police Act 1960 prohibits or regulates the use of loud speakers in public place and in any private place if their use causes annoyance to neighbors. . This what the law says and everyone of us knows what is really happening around us. In the name of religious festivals, political meetings, this or that inaugurations; everywhere we see the public being tortured by harsh and strident noise of sound systems. The tragedy is that even among the so called highly educated or degree acquired class is ignorant or feign ignorance about the serious side effects of this menace. These monstrous systems directly attack a person’s peace of mind. Already a man has enough reasons to live tensed and this pollution accelerates the mental deformities by increasing his blood pressure and these harsh sounds further intensify his complications.   A continued exposure to 80 to 100 decibels can lead to temporary or permanent deafness. This rant and rave reaches its zenith during festival times or electioneering. Women, children, infants are all compelled to stay closer to this harsh auditory sensation and are being tortured. One may wonder how our people are this much ignorant about the serious effects of cacophony. There was time when school and college programs were organized giving due consideration to social values and morals.

Contrary to this, these days we see children or youngsters just shaking or vibrating their body without any rhythm “in tune” to the grotesque music blared across, popularly known as cinematic dance.  This free for all calamity is one of the biggest sound pollutants at schools, colleges and other social functions. No authorities want to control this simply because they fear it may lead to the displeasure of the organizers. A parent who really loves and cares his child will never take his ward nearer these Tsunamis of sounds. But when it happens, he may have no control or right over it. The law enforcing agencies, the pollution control boards, the event managements, all have no social obligation but posses a negative attitude towards this Then the onus is on us to fight back and protect our health. Any request towards the people concerned is not going to yield any positive outcome because they are much deaf in many ways.

The only option before us is to avoid these hazardous areas where there is every possibility of endangering our health. We should be always prepared to evacuate ourselves without losing a second once these acoustic orgies begin to terrorize the environment.

Prathap MR

(The author is a freelance writer and an employee of Technopark)