In an attempt to create awareness on the high levels of noise pollution hazardous to human health, the Indian Medical Association’s cycle rally — Silent Wheels reached here on Monday.
The rally which was flagged off from Thiruvananthapuram on April 16 was received by the IMA Kochi panel at the IMA House in Kaloor. The 13 participants in the rally were given a reception at the Central Park in Panampilly Nagar in which environment activist M. K. Prasad, GCDA chairman N. Venugopal and Deputy Police Commissioner Hari Sankar participated.
Dr. V. D. Pradeep Kumar, chairman of National Initiative for Safe Sound, told The Hindu that the IMA Kerala had taken up the issue since there had been much protest against the Thiruvananthapuram District Magistrate’s order for regulating noise pollution.
A survey conducted by the IMA in Kochi three years ago had found nearly 100 decibels of sound intensity in Pallimukku area in the city. The Supreme Court had in an order put a ceiling of 65 decibels of sound intensity in city areas and 55 decibels in residential areas.
