High Noise Levels Worse Than Air Pollution, Poorly Erected DGs An Irritating ‘Noise Generator’ – OpEd

September 1, 2026

By Dr. K S Parthasarathy

Key Takeaways:

A hospital diesel generator in Nerul East, Navi Mumbai, ran for nearly two days in a Silent Zone (50 dB day / 40 dB night); the author measured home levels with a NIOSH SLM app often above commercial-zone limits and argues for acoustic treatment of the DG, not relocation.

He treats noise as a health equal of air pollution: WHO Europe 2011 (heart disease, hypertension, children’s cognition), CSIR-NEERI 2020 (MMR sites over WHO limits), hospital-front readings >100 dB from honking, Eid/DJ spikes to 116 dB, plus 2025 BMJ work on noise as a chronic cardiovascular and mental-health stressor.

Enforcement is called weak; CPWD Building Code 2016 already specifies insulation—roughly ₹4–8 lakh for a 1,200 sq ft flat versus ~₹1.5 crore property cost—so homeowners should treat residences as noise-compliant rather than wait for civic action.

Recently, a continuous, intrusive hum from a hospital’s diesel generator (DG) disrupted the peace of mind of the residents in two neighbouring buildings in Nerul East, Navi Mumbai. For nearly two days, the civic-minded residents endured this irritating noise, leading them to raise measured objections and formal queries regarding the disturbance in their otherwise quiet neighbourhood

Generally, DGs are well designed and erected. Their manufacturing and deployment are mature industrial activities. DGs have built-in sound barriers and other noise-suppressing features to bring their noise levels within permissible limits.

Since hospitals are designated as Silent Zones, their boundaries must respect stricter limits of 50 dB(A) in the day and 40 dB(A) at night, requiring specialized acoustic setups. Noise level is measured indecibels (dB), a unit used to describe how loud a sound is. The higher the decibel number, the louder the sound. Because the decibel scale is logarithmic rather than linear, an increase of 10 dB represents roughly a tenfold increase in sound intensity. (30 dB A quiet library;60 dB A normal conversation; 80 dB Heavy city traffic.)


The noisy generator needs a relook and probably not relocation, as some angry residents unrealistically demanded.

By downloading an App-NIOSH SLM into my i-phone, I could measure noise levels in my residence. Though our plot is “residential” the noise levels were often more than those of “commercial” zone. The “Noise nuisance” episode was an additional unwanted “Bonus”!

Air pollution

When my family shifted from the well-landscaped and well-designed Anushaktinagar in 2005, we had concerns about air pollution in Navi Mumbai. There was some reason for that. I had access to the report of an interagency project in which scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board led by Dr R K Garg an eminent scientist found that vehicular pollution is the major source of pollution contrary to the popular perception by people and media that industrial sources are the major suspects! The “noise” pollution from vehicles is very difficult to regulate and control primarily because of our drivers’ honking habit!

Noise is as harmful as air pollution

In 2011, the WHO European Region published a book titled “Burden of Disease from Environmental Noise (2011). It recognised that environmental noise is as harmful as air pollution. That fact came to notice many decades after the damage was done making it no longer an issue to be thrown under the carpet!

“While there is evidence that road traffic noise increases the risk of ischaemic heart disease, including myocardial infarction, there is less evidence for such an association with aircraft noise because of a lack of studies. However, there is increasing evidence that both road traffic noise and aircraft noise increase the risk of hypertension”, the book concluded

One of the chapters in the book contains a summary of evidence linking noise and cognitive impairment in children

Other studies

In 2020, the scientists of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIRNEERI) found that noise levels in153 locations across nine municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)-including Navi Mumbai exceeded WHO guideline values. Although Navi Mumbai was least noisy, the levels still surpassed both national and international norms. Rising noise levels is due to traffic congestion, honking, construction and demolition, commercial expansion, and increasing builtup density.

The Times of India (TOI, 25 April 2017) reported that the noise levels recorded between noon and 3 PM outside six hospitals in Mumbai exceeded 100 dBs. This was due to vehicular traffic and primarily by habitual honking by drivers. (Permissible limits 50 dB(A) in the day and 40 dB(A) at night!)

In 2022, the NGO Awaaz Foundation found that the noise levels during the Eid celebrations at Mohammed Ali Road near JJ Hospital shot up to 116.3 decibels owing to DJ’s blasting music. (The Hindustan Times, HT 11 Oct 2022)

Last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Pune police and MPCB to strictly enforce noise regulations during Ganapathy Festival.


Despite such actions, violations remain common. Noise often exceeds permissible levels.
Health impact of Noise: Robust scientific evidence

According to a 2025 British Medical Journal (The BMJ) paper by Razai et al, environmental noise is a major public health crisis, acting as a chronic stressor that triggers cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health issues. Long-term noise exposure from traffic directly alters human biology and demands a multi-tiered response involving policy, clinical practice, and personal protection.

Homeowners must make their residences noise standard compliant. Sensitive groups such as children and the elderly spend most of the time at home. Loud noise can damage the delicate structures of the inner ear of infants potentially leading to permanent hearing loss.

Expecting strict enforcement of noise control measures by authorities is unrealistic. It will be foolhardy for any homeowner to ignore the robust scientific evidence linking noise to cardiovascular disease, sleep disruption, stress, and cognitive impairment.
Seminal contributions of CPWD

In its Building Code 2016, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) addresses noise control measures by acoustic design, sound insulation, and noise level limits. The technology is readily available. It is not cheap but essential when you consider the health benefits.

Remedial measures affordable

For a 1200 square ft flat, one may have to spend about Rs 4 lakhs to 8 lakhs, not too high as the cost of the flat in an affordable suburb may be as high as Rs 1.5 crores or more. Costs of remedial measures are ballpark numbers. You can pick and choose; there are many companies in this business. The actual estimate depends on many factors. If you choose basic compliance, it may be cheaper. Information on the adverse impact of environmental noise is yet to reach the public

This article is dedicated to the memory of Dr. R K Garg. A few days ago, I had the privilege of briefly discussing with him the findings of the interagency study he led. His admirable insight, scholarship, and dedication to science left a lasting impression on everyone who met him.


About Dr. K S Parthasarathy

Dr. K S Parthasarathy is former Secretary, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and a former Raja Ramanna Fellow in the Strategic Planning Group, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai. Dr. K S Parthasarathy may be contacted at ksparth@yahoo.co.uk
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