Through the National Initiative for Sound Safety (NISS), ear nose and throat doctors are raising the red flag about noise pollution in the general population. Not so long ago, it was primarily people 75 years or older who experienced hearing loss. Today, that age has dropped to around 45 years. That drop in age is likely the result of excess noise due to vehicle horns and loudspeakers, such as those used by temples during festivals. There are sound level regulations for the general public, but they are seldom enforced. This issue is especially pronounced in India.
The NISS campaign seeks to educate the general public, students, political parties, residents’ associations, and police about noise pollution. They are spreading the word through videos and pamphlets distributed in schools and door-to-door.
NISS is also creating a hotline in India where people can call to document noise complaints. The hotline will then take adequate steps to reduce the noise in that area by contacting local police and district administrators.
