Noise pollution and its impact on mental health are coming under renewed scrutiny, with calls for stronger legislation and enforcement. At a forum on the issue, Dr. Varma Deyalsingh said excessive noise can contribute to stress, anger and other mental health challenges. He also pointed to progress on a proposed national policy to address noise and public nuisance.
For some residents, excessive noise is more than an inconvenience. They say it affects sleep, family life and their sense of safety at home.
At a forum hosted by Citizens Against Noise Pollution, or CANPATT, speakers outlined the effects of prolonged exposure to excessive noise.
“And the noise can affect anyone, people with any sort of depression, any sort of mental health issues. We recommend seven to eight hours sleep. If they don’t get that, it can lead that person to internalize, have problems, and that can manifest in different things. Our treatment will fail, and mental health issues is increasing. One in five persons will have mental health issues. So, if we don’t address it, it means we are now having a gamut of problems that will continue, and noise control is something that can help our mental health issues.”
Dr. Deyalsingh said the issue has been raised at the parliamentary level, with a Joint Select Committee examining noise complaints and identifying gaps in existing legislation.
He said there is now movement toward a national policy.
“What this organization could do, because you already have an open door. So what you could do now is, look, if it’s alleged, try to see Mr. Ag, your desk is full of work, but this is an important thing. What you could also do is write to each member of Parliament. Each member of Parliament. I tell you, across the board, you have the opposition, the party in power, will all agree.”
The proposed policy now has to move through the legal process before legislation can be considered by Parliament.
Dr. Deyalsingh says public support and constituency-level complaints could help push the process forward.
“I think there’s a reason to praise what has been done, there’s also a reason to say there’s hope, there’s reason to still keep approach in the correct manner, and look where this legislation is going to get it fast track, and also not just getting it fast track, but when it is passed eventually, to see how it can be tweaked, what other things can be done to make it really actualized, so the people could have better mental health and peace at night.”
Citizens Against Noise Pollution is calling for collaboration among communities, policymakers, law enforcement, regulators and businesses.
The group says legislation will be important, but effective enforcement will also be necessary to address the complaints being raised by residents.