Match List-I and List-II containing different areas/zones and ambient levels of noise in night time :List-I (Category of Area/Zone)List-II (Night-time

Question

Match List-I and List-II containing different areas/zones and ambient levels of noise in night time :
List-I (Category of Area/Zone)

List-II (Night-time Noise Limits in dB(A) Leq)
(a) Commercial Area

(i) 40
(b) Industrial Area

(ii) 45
(c) Silent Zone

(iii) 55
(d) Residential Zone

(iv) 70

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(a) (b) (c) (d)

List-I (Category of Area/Zone)		List-II (Night-time Noise Limits in dB(A) Leq)
(a) Commercial Area		(i) 40
(b) Industrial Area		(ii) 45
(c) Silent Zone		(iii) 55
(d) Residential Zone		(iv) 70

(iii) (iv) (ii) (i)

(iv) (iii) (i) (ii)

(iii) (iv) (i) (ii)

(iv) (ii) (i) (iii)

Solution

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c).

Introduction

The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (India), explicitly mandate ambient noise standards for different zones during day and night to mitigate physiological and psychological health impacts on citizens.

Information Booster

Commercial Area (A -> iii): The permitted limit during night time (10:00 PM to 6:00 AM) is 55 dB(A).
Industrial Area (B -> iv): The permitted night time limit is the highest at 70 dB(A) to allow continuous manufacturing processes.
Silence Zone (C -> i): Defined as areas up to 100 meters around hospitals, educational institutions, and courts, the night time limit is strictly capped at 40 dB(A).
Residential Zone (D -> ii): The permitted night time limit is 45 dB(A) to ensure undisturbed human sleep cycles.
Measurement is done in dB(A) Leq, representing the time-weighted average of the level of sound in decibels on scale A, mimicking human ear sensitivity.

Additional Knowledge

Day time limits (6:00 AM to 10:00 PM) are uniformly higher: Industrial (75 dB), Commercial (65 dB), Residential (55 dB), and Silence Zone (50 dB).
Prolonged exposure to noise levels exceeding these limits is scientifically linked to hypertension, hearing impairment, and severe sleep disturbances.
Local state governments are empowered to strictly enforce these limits and can confiscate loudspeakers or equipment violating the norms.