End of silence

By Ali Raza
LAHORE: Complete silence is when not the smallest sound is heard and true absolute silence is virtually unattainable in modern-day world. Silence is unattainable even in the remotest areas. Noise increase is a gift of modern-day life. Environmentalists believe noise creates several complex problems and brings in several behavioral changes in humans as well as other living beings.
An environmentalist says there is hardly any place in and around the world where absolute silence is possible and adds attaining `a square inch of silence’ is not less than hitting a jackpot. He says silence is “a precious, underrated commodity facing extinction.”
“Silence keeps one cool and calm while noise does otherwise,” says Dr Tassadduq Ibad Naqvi, an otologist, while talking to this scribe. Noise intensity is measured in decibels (dB). According to WHO, noise level in residential, commercial and industrial areas should be 45dB, 55dB and 65dB. A normal person can bear noise up to 45dB. At 120dB the ear begins to experience pain and this level of noise can also impair hearing if experienced for a long period of time.
He says there is hardly any city part where silence is not more than permissible limits. Honking vehicles, buzz of electronics and industrial and commercial noises have upset city as well as rural life. It has also caused negative impacts on human behavior and psychology.
Citing an example, he says, a motorist stays pleasant and calm while driving on the Motorway while the same person loses control in the city’s traffic mess. This is because of a change in psychological composition of the mind.
“Silence is something one assumes one will always be able to find if one needs it. All one has to do is to drive far enough in the right direction, trek through quiet fields or woods,” says Dr Owais Farooqui, who is chairman of the Task Force of the Environment Protection Department.
Audio ecologist Gordon Hempton defines silence as “the complete absence of all audible mechanical vibrations, leaving only the sounds of nature at her most natural. Silence is the presence of everything, undisturbed,” he maintains.
And silence, Hempton believes, is rapidly disappearing, even in the most remote places. Hempton has circled the earth three times over the past three decades, recording sound on every continent except Antarctica. His work has been used in film soundtracks, videogames, and museums.
He has also trekked through both remote and urban landscapes, measuring decibels and rude interruptions to the noises of nature. Why silence is necessary? Environmentalists say it has become an increasingly rare experience to be in nature as compared to our distant ancestors.
About the effects of silence on human body, Dr Naqvi it makes one sane rather driving one crazy. Recent studies have shown that experience with nature can be as effective as medication in the treatment of several diseases, he maintains.
“Honking vehicles, din of engines, noises of loudspeakers, generators and drum beats are a routine for us,” says Shahid, a resident of Model Town. He says he and his wife have recently visited the Shalamar Gardens to find some peace of mind but found it full of hustle and bustle. He says he suffers from mood swings and headache most of the day because of noise. He says he also gets irritated while walking or driving in the city.
Naseemur Rehman, a senior official of the EPD, says noise level at an average of 75dB has been recorded in Defence Housing Authority, Gulberg and Model Town. He says the average noise level in the industrial areas has been recorded above 120dB. He, however, claims that noise pollution has decreased after a ban on two-stroke rickshaws and admits there is a lot to be done yet.
Publishd in daily The News on Friday, February 12, 2010.