Noise pollution control order notes for law

Notes

1. NOISE POLLUTION CONTROL ORDER, 2000
TARUN SHARMA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DME LAW SCHOOL
UNIT II
PREVENTION & CONTROL OF WATER,
AIR, NOISE & LAND POLLUTION

2. WHAT IS NOISE?
ThewordnoiseisderivedfromtheLatinword‘Nausea’,whichmeans
sicknessinwhichonefeelstheneedtovomit.Noiseisanunpleasant
andundesirablesoundthatleadstodiscomfortinhumanbeings.
Theintensityofsoundismeasuredindecibels(dB)
Theexpression“noise”hasnotbeendefinedstatutorily.However,the
expression“noise”wasinsertedintotheAir(Prevention&Controlof
Pollution)Act,1981bytheAmendmentAct.
Merriam-Webster:anysoundthatisundesiredorinterfereswithone's
hearingofsomething
CambridgeDictionary:asoundorsounds,especiallywhenitis
unwanted,unpleasant,orloud

3. Noisepollution,orsoundpollution,isthepropagationof
noiseorsoundwithrangingimpactsontheactivityofhuman
oranimallife,mostofwhichareharmfultoadegree.
DEFINITION OF NOISE POLLUTION
EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION ON HUMAN HEALTH
Noisepollutioncanbehazardoustohumanhealthinthefollowingways:
•Hypertension:Itisadirectresultofnoisepollutionwhichiscauseddueto
elevatedbloodlevelsforalongerduration.
•Hearingloss:Constantexposureofhumanearstoloudnoisethatarebeyond
therangeofsoundthathumanearscanwithstanddamagestheeardrums,
resultinginlossofhearing.
•Sleepingdisorders:Lackofsleepmightresultinfatigueandlowenergylevel
throughoutthedayaffectingeverydayactivities.Noisepollutionhampersthe
sleepcyclesleadingtoirritationandanuncomfortablestateofmind.
•Cardiovascularissues:Heart-relatedproblemssuchasbloodpressurelevel,
stressandcardiovasculardiseasesmightcomeupinanormalpersonanda
personsufferingfromanyofthesediseasesmightfeelasuddenshootupinthe
level.

4. TYPES OF NOISE POLLUTION

9. INTRODUCTION TO NOISE POLLUTION
CONTROL ORDER, 2000
TheNoisePollution(ControlandRegulation)Rules,2000isanimportantpieceof
legislationinIndiathatwasenactedtocontrolandregulatenoisepollutionin
variouspartsofthecountry.Noisepollutionistheexcessive,disturbing,or
unwantedsoundthatcanhaveadverseeffectsonhumanhealthandthe
environment.Toaddressthisissue,thegovernmentofIndiaintroducedthe
NoisePollutionControlandRegulationRulesintheyear2000.Theserulesare
commonlyreferredtoasthe"NoisePollutionControlOrder,2000.“
HereisanintroductiontotheNoisePollutionControlOrder,2000:
Objective:Theprimaryobjectiveofthisorderistocontrolandregulate
noisepollutionindifferentareas,includingresidential,commercial,and
industrialzones.Theaimistoprotecthumanhealthandmaintainthe
tranquilityoftheenvironment.
Scope:TheNoisePollutionControlOrder,2000,appliestoallurbanandrural
areasacrossIndia.Itcoversawiderangeofnoisesources,including
industrialprocesses,constructionactivities,vehiculartraffic,andpublic
events.

10. NoiseStandards:Theordersetsspecificnoiselevelstandardsfor
differentzonesandtimeperiods.Thesestandardsvaryforresidential,
commercial,industrial,andsilencezones,aswellasfordaytimeand
nighttimehours.Thepermissiblenoiselevelsarelowerduring
nighttimetoensurepeaceandquietforresidents.
Prohibitions:Theorderprohibitstheuseofloudspeakersorpublic
addresssystemsduringnighttime(10:00PMto6:00AM)inresidential
areas.Italsorestrictstheuseofhornsandothersound-emitting
devicesonvehiclesinresidentialareas.
RegulatoryAuthorities:Theorderdesignatesauthoritiesresponsible
forimplementingandenforcingnoisepollutioncontrolmeasures.
Theseauthoritieshavethepowertotakeactionsagainstviolators,
includingfinesandequipmentconfiscation.
PublicAwareness:TheNoisePollutionControlOrder,2000,emphasizes
theimportanceofpublicawarenessandparticipationinnoisecontrol
efforts.Itencouragescitizenstoreportviolationsandcontributeto
maintainingaquieterenvironment.

11. Penalties:Violatingtheprovisionsoftheordercanleadto
penalties,whichmayincludefinesorimprisonment,
dependingontheseverityoftheoffense.Thesepenalties
aremeanttodiscouragenoisepollutionandpromote
compliance.
Exemptions:Certainactivitiesandeventsmaybeexempt
fromthesenoisecontrolrulesiftheyareconductedin
designatedareasorwithspecificpermits.However,these
exemptionsaresubjecttoconditionsandlimitations.

12. IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Rule 2:-
(b): area/zone
(c): Authority
(e): Educational Institutions
(f): Hospitals
(i): Public Places
(j): Night Time

13. IMPORTANT PROVISIONS
Rule 3: Ambient Air Quality standards in respect of noise
for different areas/zones
•Ambient Air quality standards is to be notified for different areas in
the Schedule
•The state government shall categories the areas into
–Industrial
–Commercial
–Residential
–Silent Zones
•The state Government shall take measures for abetment of noise
which emanating from
–Vehicular Movements
–Fire crackers
–Use of loud speakers
–Sound producing instruments
•The state Government shall ensure that the existing noise levels do
not exceed the ambient air quality

14. •All development authorities while planning development activities shall
take into account the aspect of Noise pollution
•An area not less than 100 meters around
–Hospital
–Educational Institutions
–Courts
May be declared by the state government as silence area/ zone
It should be notified by the state government
Rule 5: Restrictions on the use of loud speakers/ Public Address
system(and sound producing instruments)
•Shall be used only after taking due written permission from the
authorities
•It should not be used at Night, except for used in closed premises for
communication within, like auditoria, conference rooms, community
halls or during a public emergency.
•In some exceptional circumstances, the state government may permit
use of loudspeakers or public address systems between 10:00 pm to
12:00 am or during any cultural or religious festivals not longer than 15
days

15. –For such exceptions, the state government can imply certain terms
and conditions which has to be followed and in advance, it has to
specify the number of days for which such exemption is allowed
•The noise level at the boundary of the public place where loudspeakers
or public address system is used shall not be more than 10dB above the
ambient noise standard or above 75dB which ever is lower
•The peripheral noise level of a privately owned sound system or
instrument shall not be more than 5dB above the ambient noise
standards for that area
Rule 7: Complaint to be made to the authority
•If the noise level exceeds the ambient noise standards by 10dB or more
than the limit set in their respective area
•A complaint can be made to the authority (Rule 2(c))
•Authority shall take action against the violator in accordance with the
provisions of these rules and any other law in force

16. Rule 8: Power to Prohibit etc. continuance of music sound or noise
•If the authority is satisfied with the report from an officer in charge of
the police stationor on any other information received by him
•That there is a necessity to prevent
–Annoyance, disturbance, discomfort
–Or injury or risk thereof, to public or to any person living there
•By a written order, the authority can issue such direction as it may
consider necessary to any person for Preventing, prohibiting,
controlling, or regulating:
–Incidence or continuance of
•Any vocal or instrumental music
•Sounds caused by Playing, Beating, Clasing, Blowing
•Use of loudspeaker or Public address systems
•Sound cause by busting of fire crackers
•Carrying on of any trade, avocation or operation or process
resulting in noise
•Authority can either rescind, modify or alter the order
•Audi Alteram Partem

17. CASES
MaulanaMufti Syed MdNoorurRehmanBarkati& Orsv/s. State of
Bengal and Ors. (AIR 1999 Cal 15)
CalcuttaHCobservedthatuseofmicrophoneisofrecentoriginand
accordinglyitcouldnotbesaidthattheuseofmicrophoneand
loudspeakersareessentialandintegralpartofthereligion.
Thecourtfurtherheldthatuseofloudspeakersandmicrophonesin
Azaanisnotessentialandintegralpartofanyreligionhencethereis
noviolationofrighttoreligionguaranteedunderArticle25ofthe
ConstitutionofIndia.
Church of God in India v/s. K KR Majestic Colony Welfare Association
& Ors. (AIR 2000 SC 2773)
SC held that no religion prescribes that prayers should be performed
by disturbing the peace of others. The question involved in this case
was whether in a country having multiple religious communities a
religious community could claim its right to add to noise pollution on
the ground of religion.

18. Om BiramgamaReligious Society v/s. State (1996)
CalcuttaHCheldthatfreedomofspeechandexpressionguaranteed
underArticle19(1)(a)oftheConstitutionofIndiaessentiallyincludes
freedomnottolistenand/ortoremainsilent.Onecannotbe
permittedtoexercisehisfundamentalrightatthecostofothers’
healthorwellbeing.Inthepresentcasethesub-divisionalofficer
rightlydirectedthepetitioner/societynottouseanymicrophone
whileperformingthepoojaandotherreligiousactivities.
ForumforthePreventionofEnvironmentandSound
Pollutionv/s.UnionofIndia(2006)
SCheldthatprohibitiononuseofloudspeakerorpublicsystem
between10-00pmto12midnightisnotinvalidorunconstitutional.

19. S K Ikram Sheikh Israil v/s. State of Maharashtra (2007 4
SCC 217)
Inthiscaseappellantscarryingoutmanufacturingofbrassutensilswas
causingnoisepollutionaffectingtheschoolsandthepeopleofthe
area.AsaresultnoticetotheappellantwasissuedbytheSPdirecting
appellantstostoptheiractivities/business.BeforetheSC,appellants
submittedthattheyshouldbegivenanopportunitytoreducethe
noiselevelandtakeremedialmeasures.
TheSCruledthatinthesecircumstances,appellantsweredirectedto
submitaconcreteproposalbeforetheauthoritiesconcernedstating
howtheywouldsticktothenorms.