Dhaka is the loudest city in the world; Moradabad comes a close second. Which are the other Indian cities on the list?
With noise levels reaching 114 decibels, Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh came second only to Dhaka, with sound levels reaching 119 decibels. AFP
The United Nations report titled ‘Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches’, released last month, measured noise levels in 61 cities of the world.
While Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka topped the list with a noise level of 119 decibels (dB), Pakistan’s Islamabad was ranked third with a noise pollution of 105 dB.
What is the UN report on noise pollution, its key findings and what other Indian cities are on the list, let’s find out:
What is the UN report
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) works to identify and draw attention to emerging issues of environmental concern.
The UNEP Frontiers’ report continues to advance this work, signalling environmental issues and solutions for effective and timely responses.
The issues noted in the UNEP reports may be local or small-scale for a relatively near future, but they may have the potential to become an issue of regional or global concern if not addressed early.
The “Frontiers report: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches”, divided into three chapters, draws attention to noise pollution and its long-term physical and mental health impacts. It also suggests measures that can be implemented to create positive and restorative soundscapes in urban areas.
The chapter titled “Wildfires Under Climate Change: A Burning Issue” discusses the role of climate change and human influence in the changing wildfire regimes around the world.
In the chapter titled “Phenology: Climate Change Is Shifting the Rhythm of Nature”, the report looks at how climate change is disrupting the life cycle patterns of plant and animal species, its consequences, and the need to address this issue by restoring ecological connectivity and biological diversity and most importantly, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Key findings of the report
The report has found that in Europe alone, long-term exposure to noise contributes to 12,000 premature deaths and 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease.
Residents of cities around the world such as Barcelona, Cairo and New York are exposed to high levels of noise.
In New York, 90 per cent of mass transit users are exposed to noise levels exceeding the
recommended 70 dB limit.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam cyclists are exposed to noise levels above 78 dB, which can cause irreversible hearing loss.
Top 10 noisiest cities
The report ranks 61 cities in total, including 13 from South Asia, 10 from Europe, 10 from West Asia, 11 from East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, seven from Africa, six from North America and four from Latin America.
According to 1999 WHO guidelines, the permissible noise level limits are 55 dB LAeq (equivalent continuous sound level is the sound level in decibels) for outdoor residential areas and 70 dB LAeq for commercial areas and where there is traffic.
Noise levels above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time can increase the risk of hearing loss.
“High levels of noise impair human health and well-being – by disrupting sleep or drowning out the beneficial and positive acoustic communications of many animal species that live in these areas,” Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, said in the report.
Here are the top 10 cities on the list:
1. Dhaka (Bangladesh) – 119dB
2. Moradabad (India) – 114dB
3. Islamabad (Pakistan)- 105dB
4. Rajashahi (Bangladesh) – 103dB
5. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) – 103dB
6. Ibadan (Nigeria)-101dB
7. Kupondole (Nepal) – 100dB
8.Algiers (Algeria) -100dB
9. Bangkok (Thailand) – 99dB
10. New York (US)- 95dB
The report showed that all the top three cities are from South Asia.
Among the 61 cities ranked, four more Indian cities have recorded a higher decibel than the permissible levels.
While Kolkata and Asansol in West Bengal were among the top three Indian cities with a noise level of 89 dB, Jaipur in Rajasthan recorded a noise level of 84 dB.
The national capital, Delhi, had a noise level of 84 dB.
The report also mentions the quietest cities.
Irbid in Jordan was ranked as the quietest city with 60 dB noise level, followed by Lyon in France and Spain’s capital Madrid at 69 dB.
With inputs from agencies
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