First of its kind in Nashik, citizen living in Nashik Road appealed to Nashik Municipal Corporation against noise pollution. Citizen living near this unit in Nashik Road protested against one Glass Centre operating in a newly constructed residential cum commercial apartment here. Earlier the citizen had complained to the Apartment Society which is registered under Co-Op. Society Act and we understand that society in turn verbally and in writing requested the shop owner to stop the usage of noisy labor works they continue in their shop. Inspite of two three reminders, no action was taken and then, families residing near the area sent an appeal to the Nashik Municipal Commissioner last month.

The shop is working as a shop under Shops and Establishment Act, but it literally operating as a small industrial unit where its employees are doing their labor jobs till midnight or even after that period. The unit is engaged in the activities of cutting glasses and aluminum slides into various sizes as per customer’s requirements by using electrical cutting machineries. Even though the shop allotted by the Builder is very small, he converted entire open area by covering asbestos sheet and made it as a mini small scale unit. Only labor works are going on in this place and no other commercial transactions are doing here. The employees are working there till midnight or even after that and by using labor type of works using electricity and other instruments, huge noises create to the entire residential plots situated in the building and the surrounding area.

Because of the noise pollution and the nuisance of this unit, the peaceful life of the citizen living in the apartment and the surrounding residential and residential cum commercial buildings are badly affected. Moreover, the ashes generated while cutting the glasses and aluminum which flows into the air also causes health related problems to the people residing in the area.

Nashik Municipal Commissioners office during first week of May 2009 instructed its Health Department to investigate the case by visiting the area and shop on the spot and took immediate action by giving a Notice to the shop owner under Mumbai Municipal Corporation 1949 and instructed him not to make difficulties to the families residing in the area failing which Municipal Corporation will take action as per the rules prevalent under Mumbai Municipal Corporation Acts.

For the time being, the owner of the unit abide the rules of the Municipal Corporation, but after a short span of time, re-started its noisy labor works which again creating problem for the peaceful life of the entire families residing near the area. Citizen failed to understand why Corporation allows this type of labor unit who which can be operated in industrial area? Normally even to start a flour mill, Corporation asks the applicant to produce NOC from the neighbors, but what happens in this case? Shops and Establishment, Nashik Municipal Commissioner and Maharashtra State Pollution Department and other concerned District Authorities have to check the actual type of operation of the shops they are allotting to the owners particularly in the residential cum commercial buildings and to cancel the licenses of the shop immediately if its creates problem for the people residing in the area. The noise polluted units not only creates various repercussions on the life of the people, but also making difficulties for the elders and students, small children living in the vicinity.

After all, noise pollution in Nashik is in particular increasing day by day. Often neglected, noise induces a severe impact on humans and on living organisms. Some of the adverse effects are:

Annoyance: It creates annoyance to the receptors due to sound level fluctuations. The periodic sound due to its irregular occurrences causes displeasure to hearing and causes annoyance.

• Physiological effects: The physiological features like breathing amplitude, blood pressure, heart-beat rate, pulse rate, blood cholesterol are effected.

• Loss of hearing: Long exposure to high sound levels cause loss of hearing. This is mostly unnoticed, but has an adverse impact on hearing function.

• Human performance: The working performance of workers/human will be affected as they'll be losing their concentration.

• Nervous system: It causes pain, ringing in the ears, feeling of tiredness, thereby effecting the functioning of human system.

• Sleeplessness: It affects the sleeping there by inducing the people to become restless and loose concentration and presence of mind during their activities

• Damage to material: The buildings and materials may get damaged by exposure to infrasonic / ultrasonic waves and even get collapsed.

District Authorities including Consumer Form to come forward and find out, take actions against erring units to help the citizen to live in peaceful manner.