KABUL (Pajhwok): Residents of the capital Kabul complain about noise pollution in the city, while experts say prolonged exposure to noise can affect people’s peace of mind, sleep and concentration.
Kabul Municipality and Traffic Police officials say thousands of loudspeakers have been confiscated and action is being taken against vehicles with loud horns and noisy silencers.
Noise pollution refers to unwanted and disturbing sounds that can affect people’s peace and health.
The National Environmental Protection Authority (NEPA) says on its [website] that noise pollution has become one of the problems facing major cities with the expansion of industry and technology and population growth.
Kabul Municipality has also described noise pollution, alongside air pollution, as one of the challenges of urban life and a threat to citizens’ health, saying the phenomenon can have negative effects on people’s physical and mental health.
Kabul residents: Noise has disrupted our peace
Zarghona Ghafarzada, a resident of Qala-i-Zaman Khan in Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News that because her house is close to a road, the movement of cars, motorbikes and carts equipped with loudspeakers, particularly at night, bothers her.
Referring to the loud noise produced by some motorbikes, she said: “There are also different noises in the city and markets that are disturbing, but I do not know what kind of silencers some motorbike riders have installed that produce such a terrible noise. When they pass by a person, the sound of the motorbike hits the person’s brain directly.”
Fardin Roufi, a resident of the Khair Khana area in the capital, also said loudspeakers used by street vendors in their area cause considerable disturbance to people.
He said: “Even on ordinary days, and particularly on Fridays when I want to rest more, I wake up early in the morning because of the noise made by mineral-water and ice-cream sellers.”
He called on people to cooperate with the relevant institutions and urged responsible authorities to pay serious attention to the issue.
Mahira Rahimi, another Kabul resident, said most of the noise in the area where she lives and works is caused by traffic, unnecessary use of horns, construction activities and some shops and commercial centres.
She added that increased noise during certain hours of the day makes it difficult to concentrate on studying and working and also disturbs people’s peace during rest periods.
Rahimi called for greater public awareness and increased monitoring by responsible institutions of noise pollution, saying respecting other people’s peace and quiet should become a social responsibility.
Thousands of loudspeakers confiscated: Municipality
Naimatullah Barakzai, cultural adviser and spokesman for Kabul Municipality, said noise pollution exists in the city and that the municipality has specific measures to tackle it.
He added that the municipality has various patrols and also operates the 155 complaints hotline.
According to him, the loudspeaker of anyone causing noise pollution in the city is confiscated and thousands of loudspeakers have so far been collected from businesses such as ice-cream sellers and mineral-water companies.
Barakzai said the refrigerators and other equipment belonging to such businesses are also confiscated for several days if they pose a threat.
“The major issue is that, unfortunately, there are many economic problems in the city and most people have turned to cart vending and using loudspeakers. That is why we also have urban patrols to deal with these people,” he said.
He described public cooperation as important in this regard, saying: “In terms of culture, those who cause noise pollution, please, citizens should not buy from them. As long as noise pollution benefits cart vendors financially, unfortunately, this issue will continue. Even if we collect dozens of loudspeakers, they will repeatedly do the same thing.”
He said Kabul Municipality had collected around 15,000 to 16,000 loudspeakers from various parts of the city over the past five years.
Traffic Police: Use of loud horns, noisy silencers prohibited
Fazal Hadi Hamidi, head of media affairs at the General Directorate of Traffic Police, told Pajhwok that vehicles that have obtained documents, been legally registered and received number plates — whether cars, motorbikes or other vehicles — undergo technical inspections when their documents are issued.
He said horns, silencers, engines, chassis numbers and the overall technical condition of vehicles are checked during the inspection.
According to him, vehicle owners are not allowed to use loud silencers or unusual and excessively loud horns that disturb people.
He said the General Directorate of Traffic Police takes the matter seriously in Kabul and the provinces and does not allow anyone to use equipment on their vehicles that causes public disturbance or produces disturbing noises.
According to him, however, if someone in Kabul uses loud horns or has a vehicle with a loud and disturbing silencer, the vehicle may be among those that have not yet obtained the required documents, as Kabul has a large population and a high number of vehicles.
He added that the directorate also takes action against vehicles travelling without documents and number plates and does not allow such vehicles to operate.
Hamidi said that if undocumented motorbikes are spotted, fixed and mobile checkpoints are active throughout the city and Traffic Police personnel deal with the matter on a daily basis.
He noted that dozens of vehicles with unusual silencers and loud horns are stopped every day and legal action is taken against them.
Noise pollution is an unpleasant phenomenon that disrupts people’s peace: Psychologists
Abdul Jalil Amarkhel, a psychologist, told Pajhwok that noise pollution, particularly when it is intense, continuous and uncontrollable, keeps the nervous system in a state of alertness and can lead to increased stress, anxiety, irritability, anger, mental fatigue and a reduced sense of calm.
He said that if the situation continues, a person may feel tired more quickly or have less tolerance for everyday problems.
Amarkhel said: “Loud noise can even cause brief awakenings during sleep and reduce sleep quality, even if the person does not fully realise that they have woken up. Poor sleep can lead to reduced attention, concentration, memory and information-processing speed the following day, as well as increased irritability. That is why a quiet environment is very important for sleep and mental activities.”
According to him, people who are exposed to noise for long periods are more likely to experience its consequences, including children, older people, those with sleep problems, people who are sensitive to sound stimuli, and those who live and work in crowded or noisy environments.
The psychologist added that children have a particular need for quiet environments because they require more sleep and concentration for growth and learning.
Asked what he recommends to reduce the harmful effects of noise, he said: “As much as possible, the intensity and duration of exposure to noise should be reduced. For example, we should make sleeping and studying environments quieter, stay away from very noisy places where possible, and use appropriate ear protection in noisy workplaces.
“Having regular sleep, getting enough rest, engaging in physical activity and practising relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation can also help reduce psychological pressure caused by noise.”
Dr. Zakaria Barakzai, another psychologist, also told Pajhwok that noise pollution is an unpleasant phenomenon or process that disrupts people’s psychological, mental, emotional and social peace, causing them to feel complaints, grievances and distress because people want to live in peace.
He added that continuous sounds usually leave an unpleasant impact on people’s mental well-being.
According to him, people need to experience several things in their daily lives, including silence, peace, reflection and solitude, so that they can encourage their minds to think; however, noise pollution makes these things difficult.
He said the problem causes anger among individuals and affects their sleep and thoughts.
Barakzai stressed that preventing this phenomenon is the responsibility of every citizen, particularly those concerned and that the issue should be regulated and managed in accordance with relevant guidelines.
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