Status of noise pollution in urban area of Dharan Sub- Metropolitan City and Inaruwa Municipality of Sunsari District, Nepal

Abstract

The environmental noise level measurement in Dharan and Inaruwa cities of eastern Nepal were conducted and compared with the ambient noise standards provided by Government of Nepal. The noise pollution assessment was performed in autumn and winter seasons by the indicator average day time sound pressure level (Ld, during 7.00 to 22.00 hrs) and average night time sound pressure level (Ln, during 22.00 to 7.00 hrs). The Ld and Ln values at the commercial, silence and residential zones of Dharan were 78 to 82 and 72 to 73, 65 to 73 and 60 to 70, 65 to 76 and 62 to 64 dB(A) in autumn and 78 to 79 and 72 to 76, 64 to 71 and 58 to 68, 63 to 74 and 60 to 62 dB(A) in winter, respectively whereas for Inaruwa, measurement were 75 to 77 and 73 to 75, 59 and 57, 67 and 60 dB(A) in autumn and 66 to 70 and 63 to 68, 55 and 53, 65 and 58 dB(A) in winter, respectively. The results showed that noise levels exceeded the standard value at most of the sites.