Political, religious, social gatherings and processions compulsively use public address systems to amplify any lecture, music, or debate, so that they can be heard by the maximum number of people in proximity.

 

However, most people near such incidents are not interested in the "volume" of that sound; those interested can always gather more closely; for others, it's a nightmare.

 

Religious sermons have been delivered over ages by melodious voices across the world. It didn't need loudspeakers to instill a feeling of religiousness; nor has it been shown that loudspeakers have increased morality in the society.

 

Similarly for political discourses in public.

 

And social causes like weddings, funerals, or local club functions also create avoidable nuisance by playing songs and music at high volumes and at odd hours.

 

Despite legal ban on decibel level and timing of playing, monitoring is not possible at every level.

 

High levels of noise have been proved scientifically to hamper the normal functioning of brain, disturb sleep, contribute to insomnia-related chronic diseases, as well as aggravate aggressiveness and mental diseases.

 

The most vulnerable are infants, children, the elderly, and those suffering from acute and chronic diseases, apart from all other forms of life.

 

We go on vacation to various tourist places to find serenity and quietude, and yet in our own locality we create a nuisance by "celebrating" in the noisiest manner possible.

 

Noise is nuisance, because it is undesirable by most, and detrimental to our physical, mental, and social health.

 

Aggravated noise causes avoidable injury to persons as well as to the society and environment.

 

Noise pollution, if not reigned in now, will never allow us to create a healthy and developed society.

 

My request is to ban .... legally and socially .... all forms of microphones, loudspeakers, etc. in open and public places, except by Government agencies in emergency situations.

 

Please sign this petition so that we can gift a sound and noise-free healthy future to our children.

 

Thanks so much.

Dr. Anandamay Mukhopadhyay

Kolkata

dranandamay@gmail.com