Living Amidst the Cacophony

A Clank! Bang! got me startled out of my deep sleep last night. A steel plate had rolled down the
shelf to the kitchen floor. I could not fall back to sleep again. Later in the morning, a truck in the
lane outside with its loud honk, helped break my sleep. As i rushed for office (already late by 30
minutes), the zooming traffic with its myriad of crawling beings helped me stay up on the road. The
day went good. Projects completed. Thanks to the ipod, it helped me escape the office buzz,
concentrate and keep my sleep at bay.
Music has been very close to me. It feels my emotions and so does it read my emotions. It helped
me cope with living miles away from family while i came to Delhi for studies. Over nine years in
the city, things have changed for me. As i grew older (and wiser), relation with music also grew,
only deeper. Apart from feeling and reading my emotion, it now shelters me while i try to run away
from the madding crowd. It is now the sweat lodge, helping me connect with nature's being and
purify myself from the capitalist's toxin.
The need to rush to cities and metropolis for education, work and other ambitions, has got the cities
growing. They are buzzing with all kinds of people. While India celebrates it 68 th birthday, it is
proud to declare it being able to accommodate 4041 towns and its teaming millions; and 'they' are
only multiplying. India is on a great path. Economy is looking up, school enrollment rate rising,
gender gap improving, women political representatives growing. India is 'Shining'. And, not to
forget, so is the Sun. It is shining brighter and mighter than ever! With it, the mercury in the
thermometer is looking up, emission of greenhouse gases increasing, droughts expanding and cases
of farmer suicide rising. This is making India 'burn' and not 'shine'! And we don't want it burnt. Not
everyone is a Phoenix!
World powers have come together to think of ways to save the 'Mother Earth' from burning down.
The UN Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) has held 21 Conferences of Parties (CoP) to tackle
this situation. In the recent 21 st CoP, world leaders burnt their midnight oil to reach to a decision.
India beamed through this CoP for it ratified the treaty and is now working towards achieving its
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) by 2030. This shall be quite a task for a
growing economy like India to work toward. But she is determined. The recent 'Odd-Even' scheme
of Delhi Government has been a success. These small initiatives along with the bigger initiatives
like bringing in more manufacturing companies, developing social entreprenuership and
strengething CSR investments shall help India take the road to success. Never mind the drying
rivers and parched land with its parched souls but air and water pollution is now big on the
Government's agenda. Everything shall fall in place once the economy, air and water are taken care
of.
With economy prospering, so will its citizens. There shall be growing number of middle class with
growing demand for luxury like more building, airconditions (to keep their cool from the burning
Sun), cars with the best music system (maybe surround system) and of course, the earphones to
keep yourself away from the crowd. Here is where i figure myself. With my favourite track playing
with extra bass boost while i travel in the CNG auto everyday to work. I constantly get warned by
my devise for listening too loud. It could damage your ears, it says. But i need it.
Noise pollution is not given much heed by the people at power. However, noise pollution is an
important issued that needs to be heard. The World Health Organization (WHO) has fixed 45
decibels as the Safe Noise Level for a city. The proud Indian cities record an average of 90 decibels.

And it is only rising and shall rise further considering the growing economy and the perks one shall
derive from it. Noise is unwanted sound. Man-made noises from those of machines, automobiles,
firecrackers, etc. are more contentious than those from nature. Noise pollution is a part of air
pollution. An integral ramification of urbanization and modernization. However, discussions on air
pollution only focuses on 'ppm' and never 'dB'. The 'ppm' has increased the number of health
hazards however, health is not just constricted to physical health. Health, as defined by WHO, is
astate of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. Noise disturbs one's peace of mind. The inability to get a sound sleep has repercussions
on one's productivity. Constant exposure to noise causes anxiety, stress and fright. We cannot have
budding cities to be filled with mentally disturbed beings! Else, the economy shall reflect it. The
government has to lend its ears to noise pollution lest a pot of angry, stressed citizens fill the
country. The Noise Regulation Rules 2000 need to be strengthened and promoted. Social
development programmes should include it.
The loud bang from the kitchen startled me and I could not fall back to sleep. A baby just born, out
from the safe and cushioned womb of the mother, into the world of noise? It is sure to disturb its
peace, it is sure to be startled and it is sure to encounter further more as it grows up. And no destress spas shall help restore its peace. For the spa is also a part of the noisy urban setting. When the
Native Americans were invaded and their natural wealth vandalized for capitalism to flourish,
capitalism flourished. However, its ramifications have vandalized our being, our peace and our
sleep. All we now have is 'music' that provides an escape from the 'noise'. Music, our own sweat
lodge to detox from the capitalist's toxin, our own quite zone away from the cacophony of
urbanization.

By Punyasil
Programme Team Fiinovation