Abstract: The road traffic noise environment in Bhadrak, one of the district
head quarters of Orissa in terms of standard noise indices, community response
and community health effects are worked out in the present study. Noise
pollution is analysed in five different squares (road sections) to assess the
sound scape of the town. The sources of noise at the studied sites are
predominantly attributable to motor vehicular traffic. Taking the tolerated
noise level of 70 dB (A) during the day time on the main roads as standard for
United Kingdom and many other European countries, in absence of regulation
regarding permissible level for road traffic noise in India, the noise levels
of all the five investigated locations were found to be beyond permissible
limit during day time. Noise produced from cargo carrying trucks, bus, Bolero,
trekker, motor cycle, tractor, dumper, tempo, ranges from 103.2–123.4,
101.2–118.3, 96.8–115.5, 98.3–113.2, 92.5–110.2,
106.4–116.5, 101.2–119.6 and 95.5–114.7 respectively. Thus, the
contributions of individual vehicles towards noise pollution were found to be
more than the road traffic noise-limit, i.e., 70 dB (A). A preliminary survey
adopting questionnaire method amongst 256 local inhabitants has also been
carried out to gather information about the suffering of people. The direct
impacts include sleep disturbance, loss of concentration, annoyance and
irritation, hypertension, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problem,
restlessness, depression, fatigue and mental stress etc.
