Noise pollution

Noise pollution is the disturbing noise with harmful impact on the activity of human or animal life. It may be caused by poor urban planning. Side by side industrial and residential buildings result in noise pollution in residential areas. Noise from roadways and other urban factors can be mitigated by urban planning and better design of roads. Noise can also have a detrimental effect on wild animals. Acoustic overexposure can lead to temporary or permanent loss of hearing. An impact of noise on wild animal life is the reduction of usable habitat that noisy areas may cause, which in the case of endangered species may be part of the path to extinction.
Noise pollution may have caused the death of certain species of whale that beached themselves after being exposed to the loud sound of military sonar. Up until the 1970s, governments viewed noise as a ‘nuisance’ and not as an environmental problem. Noise laws and ordinances do not even exist in some countries. An ordinance may only contain a general prohibition against making noise that is a nuisance, or it may set out specific guidelines for the level of noise allowed at certain times of the day and for certain activities. Noise pollution is as harmful as air pollution. The government of our country should look into the matter and draft a policy to deal with this form of pollution.
Rimsha Nadeem
Karachi