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Spotting noise risk zones in Karachi Pakistan :
A GIS Perspective
Mohammed Raza Mehdi
Institute of Environmental Studies,
University of Karachi &
Department of Civil Engineering, NED University of
Engineering & Technology, Karachi
Dr. S. Jamil Hasan Kazmi
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography, University of Karachi
and
Mudassar Hassan Arsalan
Department of Geography, University of Karachi.
ABSTRACT
In developing countries such as Pakistan the growth of their megacities such as Karachi
had been unplanned and haphazard resulted in many environmental hazards. One of the
growing threats is noise pollution (Hardoy, et al, 1992), which is damaging human
health like a silent killer. This paper is an attempt to study noise pollution in Karachi. In
the previous studies on Karachi, noise measurements had generally been restricted to
point based locations. There is a need to see more prominently, the impacts on the
surrounding of the source. Therefore, authors sought to achieve the following objectives:
- To demarcate the risk noise zones based on different noise levels: and
- To examine the concept of spatial proximity, with the help of GIS techniques. A model
research has been initiated that could provide a basis for a comprehensive study.
1. INTRODUCTION
Hearing loss is the most obvious health threat posed by noise pollution, but it is by no means the only
one. Exposure to undesired noise involuntarily induces stress, can lead to a variety of physical
ailments including an increase in heart rate, high blood pressure, elevated levels of blood Cholesterol,
ulcers, headaches and colitis. Indirectly, noisy surroundings at home and school can adversely affect
children; language development and their ability to read (Nadakavukaren, 1990)
Today GIS excels at editing, data handling, interpolation, and visualization capabilities that are lacking
in most models. The basic conception of GIS i.e. location, spatial distribution and relationships
between the basic elements and spatial objects, facilitates the decision makers at various levels of
governance.
GIS is being used to monitor and forecast noise pollution patterns in many countries around the globe.
http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/computer/sound/"). It has been widely used in
environmental modeling and analysis including noise pollution monitoring
(http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/ems/esd/reportb.htm) in the western hemisphere of the world. GIS
could be an indispensable tool for noise analysis and management even in developing countries as
Pakistan. In addition to its powerful capabilities in spatial database development, spatial data
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