New Delhi: Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the second most noisiest city in the world, with Delhi, Kolkata, Asansol and Jaipur also exceeding permissible noise limits, according to the latest report unveiled by the United Nations Environment Programme.
The UN report titled ‘Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches’, released last month, measured noise levels in 61 cities of the world. Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka topped the list with a noise level of 119 decibels (dB). Pakistan’s capital city Islamabad was placed on the third spot, where noise pollution level has been recorded at 105 dB.
Notably, all the top three cities are from South Asia. Other Indian cities which recorded a higher decibel than the permissible levels were Delhi ( 83 dB), Kolkata and Asansol (both 89 dB) in West Bengal and Jaipur (84 dB).
The report also revealed insights related to noise pollution from cities across the globe. It found that nine in 10 mass transit users in New York City were exposed to noise levels exceeding the recommended limit of 70 decibels, and may be at risk of irreversible hearing loss. Two in five residents in Hong Kong are exposed to traffic noise above the permissible limit and more than half of the residents of European cities live in areas where noise levels may adversely affect their health and well-being, the report said.
The UNEP report further found that Irbrid in Jordan at 60 decibels was the world’s quietest city, followed by Lyon in France (69 dB), Madrid in Spain (69 dB), Sweden’s capital Stockholm in (70 dB) and Belgrade in Serbia (70 dB).
What are permissible sound levels
According to 1999 WHO guidelines, the report said, the permissible noise level limits are 55 dB (decibels) LAeq (equivalent continuous sound level is the sound level in decibels) for outdoor residential areas and 70 dB LAeq for commercial areas and where there is traffic.
Experts said that noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time can increase the risk of hearing loss. “High levels of noise impair human health and well-being – by disrupting sleep or drowning out the beneficial and positive acoustic communications of many animal species that live in these areas,” Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, said in the report. She also listed solutions to combat noise pollution, saying electrified transport and green spaces must all be included in city planning to reduce noise levels.
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