Geography · Ch 17 — Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems
Noise Pollution
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is not just loud sound — it is sound that has become unbearable and uncomfortable for human beings. The problem has gained serious attention only in recent decades, driven by a wide range of technological innovations that fill our environment with noise.
Sources of Noise Pollution
The main sources are:
- Factories and industrial units
- Mechanised construction and demolition work
- Automobiles, aircraft, and trains
- Sea traffic (noise confined to harbours, from loading and unloading)
- Periodic but polluting noise from sirens and loudspeakers used during festivals, programmes, and community activities
Of all these, traffic noise is the biggest nuisance. Its intensity and nature depend on several factors: the type of aircraft, vehicle, or train; the condition of the road; and the condition of the vehicle itself (in the case of automobiles).
Industries cause noise pollution too, but the intensity varies depending on the type of industry.
Measuring Noise
The level of steady noise is measured in decibels (dB).
Key Characteristics of Noise Pollution
- Location specific — its effects are concentrated near the source. …
The photograph shows a scene at the Panchpatmalai bauxite mine in Odisha. In the background, a large yellow hydraulic excavator — bearing the number '300' on its side — works the open pit. In the foreground, three men stand around a tripod-mounted instrument. They are monitoring noise levels at the mine site.
This image is placed in the textbook directly after the paragraph that defines noise pollution and lists its sources: factories, mechanised construction, demolition, automobiles, and aircraft. The caption, "Noise monitoring at Panchpatmalai Bauxite Mine", makes a specific point. Mining is an industrial activity that generates high-intensity noise — from blasting, drilling, and heavy machinery like the excavator shown. The photograph shows that this noise is not just an abstract problem; it is measured on-site using a sound level meter (the tripod-mounted instrument). The men are doing exactly what the text describes: quantifying the noise in decibels (dB) to assess its impact. …