Environmentalists and lawyers say that the existing sound pollution control act is weak and even its optimum usage will not be able to prevent sound pollution. The sound pollution act 2006 sates, usage of stone breaking machine cannot be used within 500 metres of a residential area and construction mixture machines cannot be used between 7pm and 7am.
The list mentions acceptable sound limit for quiet, residential, commercial and industrial area with exceptions made for religious events. But no even with high sound can be arranged for more than five hours with the last time being ten pm.
As per guideline, the sound limits are as follows: silent area, 50 decibel during day and 40 a night, residential area: 55 decibel during day and 55 at night, mixed areas: 60 decibel during day 50 at night, commercial area: 70 decibel during day and 60 at night and industrial area: 75 decibel during day and 70 at night.
Day covers the period from 6 am till 9 pm and night from 9 pm rill 6 am.
In several areas, the sound is one and a half time high with sound in Mirpur, Dhanmondi, Shahbagh regularly going beyond 96 decibel.
Senior project director for Work for Better Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman, says: “Though the guideline states that for public events the time limit is five hours, no one adheres to it.”
Meanwhile, the guideline will not be applicable for special religious events, government or national events like Victory Day, Ekushey, Pahela Baishakh and other government holidays.
General Secretary of Paribesh Bachao Andolon, Abdul Matin, told Bangla Tribune: “Unless the law is changed, the new sounds which have emerged in the last ten years cannot be controlled.”
Environmental lawyer, Syeda Rezwana Hassan, says: “the sound pollution act shrewdly evades the issue of sound emanating from generators; therefore, this act needs to be rejigged.”