‘Musical menace in Panadura Esplanade: We need sound sleep, not sound pollution

We were forced to listen to two noise polluting musical extravaganzas in the Panadura Esplanade within two months; the first was during floods and landslides that killed over 150 people and affected hundreds of thousands of people, and the second high-octane blast on Saturday July 2.

The unwanted and unpleasant sound that causes discomfort to the area people started from around 9 p.m. and continued till early hours in the morning. The area is considered a ‘silent zone’; the Base Hospital is only a stone’s throw away from the venue. Loud noise causes temporary disruption in the natural balance. There are hundreds of patients who need a sound sleep, not sound pollution. Even in healthy people, noise pollution causes contraction of blood vessels, and excessive adrenalin in the blood stream. This leads to high blood pressure and tends to disturb the natural rhythm of life. Increased and prolonged exposure to excessive blaring sounds is known to cause mental distress. Health is wealth — noise pollution is an epidemic that requires straight attention and prevention.

What was the role of the guardians of health? Have the local council and law enforcement authorities taken any action? Who permitted the heartless merrymakers to revel till 3 a.m.? The Police Station is next door. Isn’t there a maximum allowed decibel level for the residential areas?

In Sri Lanka there is a multitude of progressive enactments pertaining to noise pollution, but what is lacking is the commitment to implement those; the city is for the people and not for the few to enjoy at the expense of the majority. Group of Environmentalists

Panadura