A 24 hours noise, shaking Addis
“Like a dog that guards the owner’s house, our ears guard us from any possible danger as they continuously hear sound. They function 24 hours a day like that of heart and lung,” says Dr. Abebe, Assistant Prof. at Addis Ababa University, College of medical sciences,in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-a science that deals with the throat, nose and ear.
Almost all specialists in the area agree with the fact that our ears need to be exposed to a certain Decibel of sound (db)-a unit to measure the pitch of sound. Even this limited level of sound depends on the emotional status we are in at that specific moment, as to literature. The rhythmic music that creates a recreational feeling to our mind might be referred us to noise, when we are sleeping or need to concentrate.
An agreeable definition by Ato Abera Brhanu, Pollution Research Officer at Addis Ababa Environment Protection Authority (AEPA) might be ‘unwanted and disturbing sound’ there are four important markers of unwanted sound as to Abera which are emotional status of the listener, the time (day or night) the place (residential , commercial…) and the loudness of the sound.
Abera does not agree with people who say noise pollution is not a threat to Addis Ababa, of course these people consider noise pollution as a luxury. The research findings of AEPA in which Abera took part in has shown the prevalence of noise pollution and its consequences.
There are factors that necessitate the research, that was the physical observations of the officers of AEPA. Then 20 Kebeles of different sub-cities of Addis were taken as sample, from which a recorded group and individual complaints of noise pollution had been collected.
Another input also had been taken from a focused group discussion inspired by different media and the authority itself. And all have revealed the prevalence of the problem.
The devise that measures sound level to check the existence of noise pollution, called 'Integrating sound level Meter' has been introduced to Addis lately. And a considerable amount of study was carried out using the devise, taking 21 main roads in the part central Addis as a sample (the study considered Lideta, Addis Ketema yeka sub-cities as central) The measurement was taken three meters away from the roads, where many residents are found and the result has verified the existence of noise pollution in the areas.
“so” said Abera “we are saying there is noise pollution in Addis based on these evidences” he added.
As to the standards of AEPA which is drawn from the regulations of the Federal Environment Protection Authority, there are standards of noise for day & evening and night time, where day & evening is the range of time between 12:00 am and 3:00pm, the rest that is the time between 3;00 pm and 12:00 am is night.
The standard puts the maximum db for residential, commercial and industrial areas. “it is really difficult to make distinction among the three, since most residents,commercial areas... are settled together ” said Abera “any way in residential area the maximum limit for the day & evening 55db while 45db is the maximum at night. The figures are different for commercial areas, as it is 65db for day & evening and 55 db at night. The highest limit for In industrial area at day & evening is 75db while 70db is at night.
The researches of the authority have uncovered the existence of many pollutants in the capital. Religious institutions, dogs barking and vehicular noise are said the highest pollutant both at day& evening and night. Advertisement and music shops on the other hand take the first lead as a day pollutant. Nothing paralleled Discos and Digital Satellite Television’s (Ds Tv) soccer shows as night pollutants.
The pollution also differs from place to place, for instance,the dominant pollutant around Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-city is said aircraft. When we see Bole sub-city it is discos that are great pollutant.
Another study conducted by forum for environment, a foreign charity that operate in Ethiopia, has shown that the frequency of individual compliant of noise pollution is rising from year to year. Yeka sub-city for example registered no compliant in 1996; however, in 2002 it registered 141 complaints. The total number of complaints of noise pollution at the peripheries of Addis (the study considers them as peripheries) Bole, Nifas Silk- Lafto ,Kirkos and Akiki kaliti sub-cities which Was nil in 1996 rises to 303 in 2002.
In an exclusive interview with Akirma (A house Magazine of Forum for Environment ) Ato Abera argued 'even the rhythmic music would be a position when it crosses the normal decibel.'
Dr. Abebe Melaku (Md. PhD) seriously discusses the two damages on the ears that are caused by noise, these are an injury on the conductive system and Inner ear or Perception. However he attributed these to high pitch noise like that of explosive and gun-shot.
Talking about a lesser degree of noise , Abebe said , when the level reaches 90 db and above, it may create temporary shift-of-threshold-a state in which one feel deafness for a while. If the exposure continues for some time it turns to be a permanent shift-of-threshold- a state in which a person can no more listen to the normal, 40 db sound, As to the specialist.
“Noise damage is not a settled one that you can incur and see rather it is a hidden one that do not attract immediate attention ” says Dr. Abebe. Noise pollution is not only a cause of hearing damages it also initiate or aggravate other sophistication like cardiovascular diseases- a heart problem,hypertension-a raised blood pressure stress, depression, sleeping disturbance and Vasoconstriction- narrowing of blood vessels. It also creates a mass psychotruma on the society like annoyance, anger and depression. Noise affects not only adults it also affects fetus, therefore expectant mothers need not to expose to a high db of noise and backs this with example “the fetus moves in reaction to music, that is excitement but if it is a noise ,obviously, affects its development ” says Dr. Abebe
The government has a constitutional responsibility to make citizens live in a safe environment as to the article 92(1) of the FDRE's constitution and its efforts through the Federal and Regional Environment Protection Authorities is encouraging, but not enough, in my opinion. It seems that the public understanding about the danger of noise is very less. “I do not know the existence of any law to alleviate such problem I rather avoid living in such places “ says Solomon Getahun, who was obliged to change his residential area because of the annoying noise from the neighboring Discotheque.” I payed the house rent in advance but the noise made me up almost all night long for about a week. The lady who rented me the house said she could not do any thing, other than adapting to the noise.” he added.
Even institutions that are expected to build the public moral like religious ones disturbs the peace of residents. Not only that, as to Kalleab Belachew, a young man who is doing his Masters degree at Addis Ababa University on Tourism “Universities, Hospitals , schools and hotels are also victims. look Addis is the heart of Africa, it hosts many giant conferences that could possibly generate income for the nation but if this Noise cannot get some kind of solution how can the conference tourists enjoy this city?'' questions Kalleab.
The existence of the authorities and the standard of noise pollution by itself could not be enough a promulgated law that is governing to all might be an essential instrument to alleviate the problem..
“It is a high time in which environmentalists look in to a real consideration of the noise pollution, since the country is in rapid growth” said Abbe when he winds up the discussion with Ethiopian Hearld.
Almost all specialists in the area agree with the fact that our ears need to be exposed to a certain Decibel of sound (db)-a unit to measure the pitch of sound. Even this limited level of sound depends on the emotional status we are in at that specific moment, as to literature. The rhythmic music that creates a recreational feeling to our mind might be referred us to noise, when we are sleeping or need to concentrate.
An agreeable definition by Ato Abera Brhanu, Pollution Research Officer at Addis Ababa Environment Protection Authority (AEPA) might be ‘unwanted and disturbing sound’ there are four important markers of unwanted sound as to Abera which are emotional status of the listener, the time (day or night) the place (residential , commercial…) and the loudness of the sound.
Abera does not agree with people who say noise pollution is not a threat to Addis Ababa, of course these people consider noise pollution as a luxury. The research findings of AEPA in which Abera took part in has shown the prevalence of noise pollution and its consequences.
There are factors that necessitate the research, that was the physical observations of the officers of AEPA. Then 20 Kebeles of different sub-cities of Addis were taken as sample, from which a recorded group and individual complaints of noise pollution had been collected.
Another input also had been taken from a focused group discussion inspired by different media and the authority itself. And all have revealed the prevalence of the problem.
The devise that measures sound level to check the existence of noise pollution, called 'Integrating sound level Meter' has been introduced to Addis lately. And a considerable amount of study was carried out using the devise, taking 21 main roads in the part central Addis as a sample (the study considered Lideta, Addis Ketema yeka sub-cities as central) The measurement was taken three meters away from the roads, where many residents are found and the result has verified the existence of noise pollution in the areas.
“so” said Abera “we are saying there is noise pollution in Addis based on these evidences” he added.
As to the standards of AEPA which is drawn from the regulations of the Federal Environment Protection Authority, there are standards of noise for day & evening and night time, where day & evening is the range of time between 12:00 am and 3:00pm, the rest that is the time between 3;00 pm and 12:00 am is night.
The standard puts the maximum db for residential, commercial and industrial areas. “it is really difficult to make distinction among the three, since most residents,commercial areas... are settled together ” said Abera “any way in residential area the maximum limit for the day & evening 55db while 45db is the maximum at night. The figures are different for commercial areas, as it is 65db for day & evening and 55 db at night. The highest limit for In industrial area at day & evening is 75db while 70db is at night.
The researches of the authority have uncovered the existence of many pollutants in the capital. Religious institutions, dogs barking and vehicular noise are said the highest pollutant both at day& evening and night. Advertisement and music shops on the other hand take the first lead as a day pollutant. Nothing paralleled Discos and Digital Satellite Television’s (Ds Tv) soccer shows as night pollutants.
The pollution also differs from place to place, for instance,the dominant pollutant around Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-city is said aircraft. When we see Bole sub-city it is discos that are great pollutant.
Another study conducted by forum for environment, a foreign charity that operate in Ethiopia, has shown that the frequency of individual compliant of noise pollution is rising from year to year. Yeka sub-city for example registered no compliant in 1996; however, in 2002 it registered 141 complaints. The total number of complaints of noise pollution at the peripheries of Addis (the study considers them as peripheries) Bole, Nifas Silk- Lafto ,Kirkos and Akiki kaliti sub-cities which Was nil in 1996 rises to 303 in 2002.
In an exclusive interview with Akirma (A house Magazine of Forum for Environment ) Ato Abera argued 'even the rhythmic music would be a position when it crosses the normal decibel.'
Dr. Abebe Melaku (Md. PhD) seriously discusses the two damages on the ears that are caused by noise, these are an injury on the conductive system and Inner ear or Perception. However he attributed these to high pitch noise like that of explosive and gun-shot.
Talking about a lesser degree of noise , Abebe said , when the level reaches 90 db and above, it may create temporary shift-of-threshold-a state in which one feel deafness for a while. If the exposure continues for some time it turns to be a permanent shift-of-threshold- a state in which a person can no more listen to the normal, 40 db sound, As to the specialist.
“Noise damage is not a settled one that you can incur and see rather it is a hidden one that do not attract immediate attention ” says Dr. Abebe. Noise pollution is not only a cause of hearing damages it also initiate or aggravate other sophistication like cardiovascular diseases- a heart problem,hypertension-a raised blood pressure stress, depression, sleeping disturbance and Vasoconstriction- narrowing of blood vessels. It also creates a mass psychotruma on the society like annoyance, anger and depression. Noise affects not only adults it also affects fetus, therefore expectant mothers need not to expose to a high db of noise and backs this with example “the fetus moves in reaction to music, that is excitement but if it is a noise ,obviously, affects its development ” says Dr. Abebe
The government has a constitutional responsibility to make citizens live in a safe environment as to the article 92(1) of the FDRE's constitution and its efforts through the Federal and Regional Environment Protection Authorities is encouraging, but not enough, in my opinion. It seems that the public understanding about the danger of noise is very less. “I do not know the existence of any law to alleviate such problem I rather avoid living in such places “ says Solomon Getahun, who was obliged to change his residential area because of the annoying noise from the neighboring Discotheque.” I payed the house rent in advance but the noise made me up almost all night long for about a week. The lady who rented me the house said she could not do any thing, other than adapting to the noise.” he added.
Even institutions that are expected to build the public moral like religious ones disturbs the peace of residents. Not only that, as to Kalleab Belachew, a young man who is doing his Masters degree at Addis Ababa University on Tourism “Universities, Hospitals , schools and hotels are also victims. look Addis is the heart of Africa, it hosts many giant conferences that could possibly generate income for the nation but if this Noise cannot get some kind of solution how can the conference tourists enjoy this city?'' questions Kalleab.
The existence of the authorities and the standard of noise pollution by itself could not be enough a promulgated law that is governing to all might be an essential instrument to alleviate the problem..
“It is a high time in which environmentalists look in to a real consideration of the noise pollution, since the country is in rapid growth” said Abbe when he winds up the discussion with Ethiopian Hearld.
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