AGARTALA, March 13 (TIWN): Burning of bitumen along the roadside in the broad day light is leading to constant air pollution in the state. Despite all the pleas and advertisement to the state people, the Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) is paying no attention to prevent the air and noise pollution in the capital city- Agartala. Though the Pollution Control Board earlier introduced many Acts on pollution control but the board is unable to cope up with the rising environment pollution. According to the sources, air pollution increasing alarmingly in the city day by day as some of the contractors under Public Works Department (PWD) are burning bitumen in daylight for constructing roads in several places disobeying the rules. As a result common people of the state are facing worst situation. But allegedly the TSPCB and concerned department is not taking necessary steps to control the air pollution. Showing thumb to the TSPCB, many of the clubs, organizations and bazaar committees are organizing various cultural evening including Orchestra and Kirtan with high-power sound systems in the examination time.

As a result, besides hampering the student’s concentration, this kind of activities increasing noise pollution repeatedly.

Noise pollution effects both health and behaviour. Unwanted sound (noise) can damage psychological health. Noise pollution can cause hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects. 

Similarly, noise can cause a detrimental effect on wild animals, increasing the risk of death by changing the delicate balance in predator or prey detection and avoidance.

On the other hand, some of the retailers are still using poly-bags illegally disobeying the verdict of the High Court of Tripura, which causes land pollution dangerously. The concerned board also failed to prevent the use of poly-bags in the state. 

Air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting the developing and the developed countries alike. The effects of air pollution on health are very complex as there are many different sources and their individual effects vary from one to the other. It is not only the ambient air quality in the cities but also the indoor air quality in the rural and the urban areas that are causing concern. In fact in the developing world the highest air pollution exposures occur in the indoor environment.