17-10-2018
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METRO<br />
WednesdAY, OctOber <strong>17</strong>, <strong>2018</strong><br />
3<br />
Hydraulic horn causes serious<br />
harm to children: expert<br />
DHAKA : Hydraulic horn is cause of<br />
one of the immeasurable mediums of<br />
traffic noise as well as sound pollution<br />
that causes serious problems especially<br />
to the children, said former Vice-<br />
Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh<br />
Mujib Medical University Dr Pran<br />
Gopal Dutta.<br />
"This horn (hydraulic) specially<br />
causes serious damage to children…if a<br />
child below three years of age hears a<br />
horn producing <strong>10</strong>0 decibel (dB) of<br />
noise from a close range, he or she<br />
might lose hearing power", he told<br />
BSS.<br />
According to the World Health<br />
Organisation (WHO), generally 60 dB<br />
sounds can make a man deaf<br />
temporarily and <strong>10</strong>0 dB sounds can<br />
cause complete deafness. The noise in<br />
any busy street in Dhaka has been<br />
estimated at 60 to 80 dB, with the<br />
sound of hydraulic horns measuring<br />
95 dB.<br />
Dr Pran Gopal, an ENT (ear, nose<br />
and throat) expert, while narrating<br />
various hazards caused by hydraulic<br />
horns and sound pollution, said, "The<br />
most obvious consequence of traffic<br />
noise is hearing loss that is worst in<br />
cities."<br />
"Hydraulic horn is very loud and can<br />
hurt the eardrums of children and long<br />
term traffic noise causes irreparable<br />
health damages to them", he<br />
cautioned.<br />
"When hearing loss occurs in<br />
children, it can lead to speech<br />
problems also", Director of Dhaka<br />
Shishu (Children) Hospital, Professor<br />
Dr Manzoor Hussain told BSS.<br />
"Excessive noise can cause problems<br />
like low performance in school,<br />
weakening of the immune system and<br />
sleep disturbance of children", said the<br />
paediatrician.<br />
According to Environment expert<br />
Professor Dr M A Bashar of Dhaka<br />
University "Excessive traffic noise is<br />
one of the most common complaints of<br />
the city residents and sound of<br />
hydraulic horn affects people more<br />
than any such noises."<br />
"Though there are sets of laws to<br />
prevent sound pollution, people do not<br />
know about those because of lack of<br />
concern, and they continue to suffer<br />
from hydraulic horns," he said.<br />
Due to lack of awareness and<br />
inefficiency in driving, many drivers<br />
use the horn unnecessarily that<br />
increases noise level in the proximity.<br />
The practical situation is very severe in<br />
the morning time near any primary or<br />
secondary school and even in front of<br />
hospitals.<br />
GD-1291/18 (8 x 4)<br />
GD-1284/18 (6 x 4)<br />
GD-1287/18 (11 x 4)<br />
GD-1290/18 (9 x 4)
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