*Impact of Noise Pollution during Covid-19: A Case Study of Balasore, Odisha DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104607*


*Impact of Noise Pollution during Covid-19: A Case Study of Balasore, Odisha DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104607*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the morning hour of commercial zone.*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the afternoon hour of commercial zone.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the evening hour of commercial zone.*

#### **Figure 5.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the morning hour of silence zone.*

#### **Figure 6.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the afternoon hour of silence zone.*

#### **Figure 7.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the evening hour of silence zone.*

*Impact of Noise Pollution during Covid-19: A Case Study of Balasore, Odisha DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104607*

#### **Figure 8.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the morning hour of residential zone.*

#### **Figure 9.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the afternoon hour of residential zone.*

during the morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively for residential zone. It can be summarised that the noise for all zones before lockdown period had a ranged from 55.9 to 91.6 dB; 56.8 to 91.7 dB and 50.2 to 93.7 dB during the morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively. **Table 1** also clearly depicted that for all time the noise level ranged from 50.2 to 91.7 dB during before lock-down phase (**Table 1**).

Similarly, **Table 2** clearly demonstrated that all zones lie in the range of 38.3 to 81.4 dB during lockdown period (**Table 2**) and then the range gradually increased to 45.7 to 92.5 dB during unlock period (**Table 3**). The equivalent noise levels of all zones lie in the range of 65.8 to 81.7 dB (**Table 1**); reduced to 43.2 to 60.7 dB during lock-down period (**Table 2**) and the range then gradually increased from 56.8 to 73.1 dB during unlock period (**Table 3**). The permitted limit for the said locations, as defined by the CPCB for Indian road conditions, is 65 dB during the day and 55 dB at night [37]. During the day time, the noise level exceeded the permitted limit [74–78]. The noise level during unlock phase and before imposing lockdown was beyond the

#### **Figure 10.**

*Comparative equivalent noise level (first three are before lock-down, middle on during lock-down and the last twos are during unlock phase) for the evening hour of residential zone.*

permissible limit in the present study. It was reported that, if the exposure of noise level is more than 80 dB (A), then risk of hypertension will increase [34]. More research is needed to investigate the effect of such noise level on the public's health in future study.

From the monthly variation it was demonstrated that the noise levels of residential areas during the morning hour are decreased by a noise level of 24.8 dB and then it increased up to 15.1 dB during unlock phase in Mandal Bagicha area. Similarly, the noise levels in other monitoring areas decreased by a noise level of 23.5, 23, 26.8, 23.3, 24.5 and 24 dB and then it was increased up to 14.7, 14, 15.5, 13, 14.7 and 19.95 dB for ACPL, Khaparapada, Rajabagicha, Angargadia, Santikanan and Swastik tower, respectively (**Table 1**). During afternoon hour, the maximum reduction of noise level was noticed at Rajabagicha area (30.2 dB) and then it increased up to 17 dB during the unlock phase. From the **Table 1**, it clearly depicts that maximum noise reduction between before lock-down phase and during unlock phase was observed at commercial zone (more than 25.5 dB) followed by residential zone (more than 25 dB) and silence zone (more than 22 dB). All these data are mentioned here are in an average data. Similarly, the maximum growing noise level between during lock-down and unlock phase was also noticed at commercial zone (more than 17.8 dB) and followed by silence zone (16.7 dB) and residential zone (14.1 dB). During evening hour and at Padhuanpada square maximum noise reduction i.e., 28.6 dB was noticed, while the lowest reduction was at 16.3 dB during morning hour at Durga Nursing home. Again, maximum increase of noise level was noticed at Cinema square (21.9 dB) during the evening hour, while the minimum increase noise was noticed at Hospital gate (8.7 dB) during the evening hour also.

**Table 1** also clearly depicted that the equivalent noise level during before lock down phase ranged from 77.2 to 80.5 dB; 75.7 dB to 81.7 dB and 75.5 to 81.5 dB for morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively. But the noise level during the lock-down phase ranged from 53.9 to 56.2 dB; 52.8 to 54.4 dB and 51.1 to 53.4 dB during the morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively (**Table 2**). Similarly, the noise level during the unlock phase ranged from 69.2 to 71.2 dB; 70.3 to 71.5 dB and 70.5 to 73.1 dB during the morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively (**Table 3**). The noise level at silence zone ranged from 72.6 dB to 76.3 dB; 74 to

### *Impact of Noise Pollution during Covid-19: A Case Study of Balasore, Odisha DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104607*

78.2 dB; 73.4 to 78.4 dB during before lock down phase; 51 to 58.3 dB; 49.6 to 56.7 dB and 50 to 60.7 dB during lock-down phases at morning, afternoon and evening hour and 65.7 to 72.9 dB; 66.9 to 72.7 dB and 68 to 69.5 dB during morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively. In the residential areas it ranged from 69.5 to 73.2 dB; 68.2 to 74.7 dB and 65.8 to 72.5 dB during before lock down phase; in lock-down phase the noise level ranged from 45.9 to 48.4 dB; 43.2 to 45.4 dB and 43.4 to 45.1 dB and in unlock phase it ranged from 60.5 to 61.9 dB; 57.3 to 61.5 dB and 56.8 to 58.5 dB in the morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively.

In location wise, **Tables 1**–**3** clearly depicts the noise variation in all the monitoring stations. These Tables demonstrated that there is a reduction of 25.9 dB, 26.7 dB; 30.3 dB in three different monitoring hours for site 1 of commercial zone. Conversely, the reduction is almost 26, 26.8 and 27.2 dB for site 2, 23.4, 28.2, 26 dB for Site-3 and a similar trend was found in all other monitoring sites belong to commercial zone. In the commercial zone the minimum noise reduction ranged from 22.9 to 28.2 dB and 23.9 to 30.3 dB during afternoon and evening hour of the commercial zone. Again, the reduction of noise level ranged from 16.4 to 23.3 dB; 19.2 to 26.2 dB and 17.7 to 26.8 dB of silence zone and from 23 to 26.8 dB; 23.3 to 30.2 dB and 22.4 to 28.4 dB of residential zone during morning, afternoon and evening hour respectively. This result clearly depicted that there is almost same trend in the noise level reduction, both in commercial and residential zone of the town. The minimum noise level reduction was more than 15 dB and found at silence zone of the town and clearly depicted that due to the nationwide lock-down imposition, there was a sharp reduction in the noise level. It will impact the environment in a positive manner.

In comparison between Leq values of a particular sites during the lock-down period with unlock phase, there was sharp increase in the noise levels of each location. Noise levels from 13.9 to 17.7 dB was increased during the morning hour in between lockdown and unlock phases. Similarly, the noise levels increased by 17.1 to 18.1 dB and 19 to 21.9 dB in afternoon and evening hour of commercial zone. Again, the increased noise level ranged from 9.9 to 15.5 dB, 12.3 to 17.3 dB and 8.7 to 19 dB of silence zone and ranged from 13 to 15.5 dB, 13.3 to 17 dB and 13.3 to 13.6 dB of the residential zone during morning, afternoon and evening hour, respectively. Due to slight relaxation provided by the local administration, there was a sharp increase in noise level of the town. This trend was more commercial zone. In the present study it is also reported that there is no relation between the different monitoring hours and the situation i.e., before imposing lockdown and after imposing and lifting the lockdown phase of the town. But there is a good association between different areas such as residential, commercial and silence zone with unlock and before lock down phase of the town (**Table 4**). In case of monthly noise level variation with different phases of the lockdown situation there is also good association between them and is presented in the **Table 5**.

In the present study, it was found that the noise level in the residential areas is growing on due to imposition of lockdown in the town. Due to lockdown, the commercial areas of the town and for such the people are selling different grocery items in the different parts of the residential areas. The open shops are instantly made on the roadside and there is slight gathering around such place. These shops are opened from 7 am to 7 pm during the unlock phase while it was opened from 7 am to 2 pm during the lockdown phase. Around the market or shop area there was gathering and due to which, the noise level during the unlock phase was raising. Again, during the unlock phase, the noise level suddenly increased due to immediate rush in different parts of the town, due to purchase of goods for their house. They creating a such situation unnecessarily by gathering around the temporary shops.


#### **Table 4.**

*Two way ANNOVA analysis for equivalent noise levels during unlock and before lockdown phases with different areas.*


#### **Table 5.**

*One way ANNOVA analysis for monthly equivalent noise levels with different areas.*

In case of silence zone, schools and hospitals were taken in the present study. All the monitoring stations were located along the main road. College and school squares are also along the road of different hospitals. Many private clinics and hospitals are also very close to the schools and colleges of the town. During lockdown, many shops, schools and colleges and other establishments were closed. All medicinal shops are opened throughout the day time. But vehicles are flowing on the road due to health

matter. Continuous flowing of many vehicles including heavy vehicles on the road are controlled, but running of the two wheelers, ambulances and responsible for the noise levels of the town.
