Noise pollution appears to be the order in a highly residential area in Gampaha — Vidalaya Road. The unavoidable noise sources — motor car horns, trains, buses, lorries and loudspeakers used in many schools in the vicinity can be excused. Here too the school speakers are operated at almost full volume. If only the principals and other responsible staff take action to reduce volume to a compatible level just sufficient for the children within the school premises to hear and not the entire town, the problem could be overcome to a great extent.

Next comes the worst form of noise pollution at night, causing annoyance, irritation, disturbance to sleep and possible ear damage and loss of hearing. Musical shows, carnivals and tamashas held fairly regularly in the Urban Council Ground, Vidyalaya Road, are the causative factors of this night time noise pollution, since they commence around 6 p.m. and continue through the night till around 4.30 a.m. next morning. In this highly residential neighbourhood these late shows are a curse. For instance, a carnival was held from 28-8-2002 through 1-9-2002. On all five days the carnival was scheduled to start at 2 p.m. and end at 12 midnight but ended around 4.30 a.m. with speakers blaring at full volume. Everyday the musical show started around finishing time — 12 midnight, and continued till about 4.30 a.m. next morning. The residents had to be content with three hours of sleep and go for work next morning and perform responsible duties like treating the sick, hearing court cases, etc. Why do the authorities permit loud-speakers and these shows too go beyond the permitted time (12 midnight in this case).

Midnight is a very reasonable time to wind up the shows from the point of view of residents, the audience and organisers, who could enjoy till then, go home, sleep, and wake-up refreshed in the morning ready to go for work. Even till midnight and law enforcing authorities should see that the volume level of the music groups’ speaker systems and other public address systems is kept low at a level that is audible only to the audience within the ground.
A. A.
Gampaha