What are the ambient air quality standards for noice set by ministry of environment and forest?
Answers
S.O. 123(E).- Whereas the increasing ambient noise levels in public places from various sources, inter-alia, industrial activity, construction activity, generator sets, loud speakers, public address systems, music systems, vehicular horns and other mechanical devices have deleterious effects on human health and the psychological well being of the people, it is considered necessary to regulate and control noise producing and generating sources with the objective of maintaining the ambient air quality standards in respect of noise;
Whereas a draft of Noise Pollution (Control and Regulation) Rules, 1999 was published under the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Environment and Forests vide number S.O. 528 (E) dated the 2e June, 1999 inviting objections and suggestions from all the persons likely to be affected thereby, before the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which the copies of the Gazette containing the said notification are made available to the public-,
And whereas copies of the said Gazette were made available to the public on the I" day of July, 1999.
And whereas the objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft rules have been duly considered by the Central Government-,
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (ii) of sub-section (2) of section 3, sub-section (1) and clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 6 and section 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules for the regulation and control of noise producing and generating sources, namely:
The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000
SCHEDULE
(see rule 3(l) and 4(l)
Ambient Air Quality Standards in respect of Noise
Area Code
Category of Area/Zone
Limits in dB(A) Leq *
Day Time
NightTime
(A)
Industrial area
75
70
(B)
Commercial area
65
55
(C)
Residential area
55
45
(D)
Silence Zone
50
40
Note
1. Day time shall mean from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
2. Night time shall mean from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.
3. Silence zone is defined as an area comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts. The silence zones are zones which are declared as such by the competent authority.
4. Mixed categories of areas may be declared as one of the four above mentioned categories by the competent authority.
*dB(A) Leq denotes the time weighted average of the level of sound in decibels on scale A which is relatable to human hearing.
A "decibel" is a unit in which noise is measured.
"A", in dB(A) Leq, denotes the frequency weighting in the measurement of noise and corresponds to frequency response characteristics of the human ear.