I AM , NATARAJ M B because I CARE

I am a US Qualified Registered Microbiologist-Medical Technologist, operating my own Clinical Lab. I have been an activist advocating consumer, civic, citizen's rights for Thirty plus years & a Frequent contributor to the letters to Editor.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Gift us Indians Silence petition-Dec19 2006

http://www.gopetition.com/online/10597.html

http://www.petitiononline.com/banhonk/petition.html
To: The President,Prime Minister & Chief Justice of India
We 400 million Urban residents of India are constantly barraged by unwanted intrusive traffic noises, especially honking 24/7. It severely affects our health and well being. It has enormous, immeasurable cascading deleterious effects on the entire society. We beg for enforced Silence. The Extent of Damage: Bangalore for example has 2.4 million vehicles for a road length of 4500 kilometers and population of 6 million. To compound the problem 18,000 vehicles are being added every day to this hell hole of noise. That converts to 575 vehicles/ each kilometer of road and 22,000 people in the vicinity. Each honk second affects 0.3 square kilometer. Nearly 22,000 people are held to a noise ransom by every single 3 second honk for the fault/impatience of 2 people at most. Proportionately increasing larger numbers are affected a longer lasting and louder honk. Larger number of honkings in any given area cumulatively increases the population's irritability index and the trickle down consequences. In view of the fact that about 30% of India's population is urban about 400 million are potentially 24/7 victims of this outrage. If each of these had the opportunity to complain about the honkings, I estimate in my personal daily experience about 100 instances per day 24/7. This means a 40 billion potential violations per day affecting our health and well being, which the honorable health minister, busy saving a few fastfood eating souls, should note. The loudness,pitch,frequency and pattern of honking add exponentially to the irritation, mood changes and consequent behaviour pattern in the victims. The direct and indirect extent of the damage caused by this violence can never be estimated in true terms. The Solution: 1) Kindly Declare an automatic 24/7 presumed zone of silence everywhere, unless otherwise indicated by signs. 2) penalize the honker heavily always and the cause if any at all. 3) Make the public partners in a 100 percent enforcement and extend the extent of enforcement by rewarding the complainants from the realized fine amount. Hoping that some quick action will ensue to preserve our sanity and health.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned

arising awarenes from ban honking petition?toi pg 2 16nov 2008


Silence please! Noise is injurious to health

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Think twice before you honk as you could be affecting others' blood pressure. A group of citizens, tired of the cacophony on the city's streets, has come together for a campaign — Mission Peace. They plan to create awareness among autorickshaw drivers and motorcyclists about the importance of silencers. Some autos cross the approved decibel level of 80. This not only increases stress levels, but can also cause deafness. The members plan to observe December 1 as No Honking Day. Retired high court judge Michael F Saldanha is supporting the campaign. "Our peace and sanity are under threat. Auto drivers remove mufflers and silencers from their vehicles without realizing how much sound pollution this causes. We should focus on public awareness and not effective policing as there is rampant corruption. We will take this up with the commissioner and the government," he said. Campaign leader Sunita D Souza said unlike buses, autos ply on small lanes and cause a lot of noise in residential areas and silent zones. So they need to be checked first. She has measured some autos with a noise meter and found them crossing 90 decibels. Hosmat director Thomas Chandy, who is also part of the campaign, said noise on roads definitely raises blood pressure. According to the Mysore Speech and Hearing Institute, continuous exposure to over 80 decibels of sound can cause deafness. "In the US, honking twice draws other motorists' ire. Here, the culture of unnecessary honking is unfortunately accepted by many," he said.


THE SOUND OF PEACE: The Mission Peace campaign will target auto drivers and motorcyclists

Friday, November 14, 2008

Dont cancel suspend licenses-LEDPTOI-14nov2008

CITY MAILBOX
MY TIMES, MY VOICE
Don’t cancel, suspend licences This is with reference to the report ‘Cause road death and lose licence’ (Nov.12). The government should not only be fair but must also appear to be fair. It is the height of unfairness to penalize a hapless owner of a motor vehicle for traffic and driving violations if the driver cannot be caught red-handed. Spending Rs 5 crore on creating a database of offenders and owners so that they can be penalized by taking away licences or otherwise is a wasteful expenditure. Instead, it can be better used to enforce rules like nabbing underage and unlicenced drivers. Serious offences should be rigorously punished under existing laws. There is no need to undertake exercises which are bound to be rejected upon legal scrutiny. Suspension of licences for a long period of time for repeat offenders accomplishes better compliance and greater respect for the law immediately. In the long run, it sends a stern message. M B Nataraj, VIA E-MAIL

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Pafex rude courier company "improvement"?9 nov 2008

9 Nov 2008,
With reference to the 30 sept 2008 rude courier complaint, this time they improved the "service" by tearing off the delivery note so I could not make out the delivery company's name and threw the september 2008 issue with a delivery # 515813 on the envelope on the driveway and went away. Thisjust shows up their indifference and guilt complex. They did not even have the decency to apologize despite the complaint being forwarded to the local pafex office.The subscription # is BI 019628267Q06101C.
This is just for your information!