Assessment of noise pollution status in jamshedpur city, India: Application of geospatial analysis and noise based indices

Abstract

Noise pollution is caused due to heavy traffic density, industrialization and commercialization. It causes physical, physiological and psychological damage to human being. The present study aims to analyse the noise levels in Jamshedpur city through the application of noise pollution indices (L10, L50, L90, Noise climate (NC), Equivalent continuous noise level (Leq), Noise pollution level (Lnp) and Traffic noise index (TNI). The spatial characteristics of noise levels were assessed at different time intervals. Noise level was measured at 11 different locations from four zones viz. Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Silence zone. Noise level for commercial zone were highest at all the time intervals and ranged between 73 and 99.7 dB (A). The spatial analysis through ARC-GIS (a geographical information system software) showed the maximum noise during 12-1 pM. However, the minimum noise at most of the sites was observed during 12-1 a.m. because of lesser crowd and fewer traffic densities. While comparing with national and international standards, it was observed that not only residential, commercial and industrial zone but silence zone violated the recommended limits of noise level. Hence, policy makers, management and individual should come forward and actively participate to combat noise pollution status in the industrial city, Jamshedpur.