Visakhapatnam: It is ironic that Vizag which is being developed as a smart city has noise pollution and air pollution beyond permissible levels.

Commercial areas, industrial regions and even residential zones experience extreme levels of pollution making lives of the city population miserable and stress-ridden. Environ-mentalists say that the ever increasing vehicular population and others are responsible for the stressful scenario.

Noise pollution is the release of unwanted sound into the environment that disturbs the people and adversely affects their health condition.

Noise is normally measured in decibels. Noise, which is more than 115 dB, is intolerable.

Lawson’s Bay Colony, Jagadamba junction, APSRTC Bus Complex junction, Seethamma-dhara junction and industrial areas were selected by researchers of Andhra University and the Pollution Control Board to monitor the noise levels and they found that nowhere was the noise levels within the permissible limits.

The recommended noise level is 55 decibels and in many areas in industrial zones the noise levels touched 90-100 decibels. There were 70-80 decibels in industrial areas and in residential areas it was ranging between 60 and 75 db.

Studies also revealed that silence zones such as KGH, RCD hospital and other areas had the quietness being blasted by noise pollution.

Flight services are also affecting the lives of people who reside in the areas close to airport like Convent Junction, Gajuwaka, Kancharapalem and Gnanapuram.

Air pollution levels of Total Suspended Particulate Matter in the city were also alarming as they reached a maximum of 239µg/m3.

Last year the value recorded was 162 µg/m3. Consequently, huge numbers of respiratory diseases are being recorded in Vizag city. Mindi, Marri-palem, Police Barracks, Gnanapuram, INS Kalinga, Seetamma-dhara areas have been taken up for the study.

“Air pollution and noise pollution often go hand-in-hand. New research has proved that air pollution and noise pollution are associated with heart risks, specifically sub- clinical arterioscleroses, or hardening of the arteries,” said Dr C.V. Subrahmanyam, a leading physician.