The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Tuesday, directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to regulate noise and keep it within permissible limits, after a five year old approached the Tribunal complaining of noise pollution.
The petitioner, Samriddhi Goswami, who filed the plea through her father, demanded compensation for the trauma caused by the noise pollution that resulted from the construction activities and metro trials at the Rohini Sector 18 station. The petition also sought shifting of the station to an alternative site as the current one reportedly yielded noise levels above 85 decibels.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson told the DMRC to ensure that effective steps are taken to regulate the noise pollution in the area and directed the authorities to keep the noise within permissible limits.
Sound barriers
In her plea, Ms. Goswami also demanded the construction of sound barriers around the metro station to regulate the pollution. She even alleged that she had earlier made several complaints, through her father, to competent authorities but the grievance was not redressed.
Highlighting notifications from the Environment Impact Assessment Report of metro stations, prepared in 2011, the petition said that even though noise pollution does not pose any health risk, it can lead to sleep disorders, anxiety and high blood pressure.
