The Times of India 25.11.2009
PCMC yet to identify silence zones
PUNE: Even as the Pune Municipal Corporation has identified over 2,000 silence zones within the city limits and is in the process of demarcating them, neighboring Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is yet to start work on identifying the zones in the twin township.
The two municipal corporations had received notifications from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to identify silence zones within their limits and demarcate them, at the beginning of August.
As per MPCB guidelines, silence zones are to be created within 100 meters of all educational institutions, hospitals, courts, and places of worship. For effective implementation of the noise pollution (control and regulation) rules, 2000, the environment department of the state government has also asked various state organisations, including municipal corporations and the police department, to appoint officers who will be the designated authorities to take necessary action against noise pollution.
Asked about the progress regarding the creation of silence zones, chief of PCMC’s medical and health department, K Nagkumar said the work of identifying such zones would begin soon. "The town planning department of the municipal corporation and the environment department will conduct a survey about educational institutions, hospitals, courts and places of worship. There is no need for appointing any independent agency for the work,’’ Nagkumar, who is also the chief of the PCMC’s environment cell, said.
He added that noise levels at these places will be monitored.
Besides the delay in identifying silence zones, PCMC has also delayed the presentation of its environment status report this year. The environment cell of the PCMC has started compiling information received from various civic departments, authorities said. However, the delay in submission of information to the environment cell by some departments was causing the delay in preparation of the report.
Meanwhile, the PMC has identified a total of 2,047 silence zones, including 1,260 schools and 710 hospitals, within its limits. PMC will be putting up hoardings to notify these silence zones. The noise levels in silence zones should not exceed 50 dB during day time (6 am to 10 pm) and it should be below 40 dB during night time (10 pm to 6 am).
The two municipal corporations had received notifications from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to identify silence zones within their limits and demarcate them, at the beginning of August.
As per MPCB guidelines, silence zones are to be created within 100 meters of all educational institutions, hospitals, courts, and places of worship. For effective implementation of the noise pollution (control and regulation) rules, 2000, the environment department of the state government has also asked various state organisations, including municipal corporations and the police department, to appoint officers who will be the designated authorities to take necessary action against noise pollution.
Asked about the progress regarding the creation of silence zones, chief of PCMC’s medical and health department, K Nagkumar said the work of identifying such zones would begin soon. "The town planning department of the municipal corporation and the environment department will conduct a survey about educational institutions, hospitals, courts and places of worship. There is no need for appointing any independent agency for the work,’’ Nagkumar, who is also the chief of the PCMC’s environment cell, said.
He added that noise levels at these places will be monitored.
Besides the delay in identifying silence zones, PCMC has also delayed the presentation of its environment status report this year. The environment cell of the PCMC has started compiling information received from various civic departments, authorities said. However, the delay in submission of information to the environment cell by some departments was causing the delay in preparation of the report.
Meanwhile, the PMC has identified a total of 2,047 silence zones, including 1,260 schools and 710 hospitals, within its limits. PMC will be putting up hoardings to notify these silence zones. The noise levels in silence zones should not exceed 50 dB during day time (6 am to 10 pm) and it should be below 40 dB during night time (10 pm to 6 am).
