THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has ordered a detailed inquiry into its Real-Time Online Noise Monitoring System (RTONMS) after concluding that the existing meters are incapable of identifying the exact source of noise pollution, raising questions over enforcement actions initiated against establishments based on data generated by the devices.
The issue was discussed during a recent meeting of the GSPCB Board, which noted that the online noise monitoring stations installed at individual establishments merely record ambient noise levels and do not possess any sound classification mechanism to distinguish whether the noise emanates from music, vehicular traffic, construction activity, sea waves or other nearby establishments.
The Board minutes state that "the Real Time Online Noise Monitoring Systems cannot identify the source of the sound and that the only way to confirm the source of the sound is to depute the staff at the site."
As such, the Board directed its Law Officer to conduct an inquiry into why the online noise monitoring stations were procured without verifying whether the instruments had the capability to classify sound sources. The inquiry will also ascertain why exceedances recorded by the systems were attributed to individual establishments and how environmental compensation was calculated and imposed on the basis of such data.
The Board noted that it had been acting on data generated by these meters and attributing exceedances to establishments where the devices were installed, despite the inability of the instruments to conclusively establish the source of the noise.
It also sought to determine why the limitations of the monitoring systems were not brought to the Board's notice when 38 online noise monitoring stations were installed at establishments under the supervision and approval of Board officials.
Pending the inquiry, the Noise Monitoring Cell under the Scientific Section has been directed to immediately constitute teams for physical verification of noise levels at establishments. Any exceedances detected during field inspections are to be promptly reported for initiation of necessary action.
The Board has concluded that the data recorded by the existing monitoring systems "cannot conclusively prove that the exceeding noise levels are caused due to the operation of the establishments at which these stations are installed and not from other ancillary sources including commercial establishments, traffic, construction activity etc."
It further noted that this position has left the Board unable to effectively defend or justify statutory directions issued against establishments solely on the basis of data generated by the Real-Time Online Noise Monitoring Systems.
The Board further observed that many establishments operate in clusters and not all have installed noise meters. Consequently, establishments equipped with the monitoring systems often dispute that the recorded exceedances originate from their premises.
