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Zambia: Noise Pollution Unacceptable
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The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
EDITORIAL
21 July 2008
Posted to the web 21 July 2008
We welcome the decision by the Ndola City Council (NCC) to confiscate a public address system, which was being used to play loud music and promotional messages from a shop on Chisokone Road.
It has become common, not only in Ndola but elsewhere in Zambia for people wishing to attract customers to play loud music without regard for the acoustic discomfort of others. In fact, it is not only shops but bars, night clubs and individuals that are guilty of this.
In some areas, residents are subjected to 24 hours of noise pollution by bar owners.
No doubt, criminal gangs have taken advantage of such anarchy to steal in the noisy situations.
Even in residential areas, there are certain individuals who always play loud music without regard for others within the vicinity.
In other instances, motorists have been involved in accidents, sometimes fatal, all because of the lack of respect for the law by the traders. This should not be condoned at all.
Local authorities can restore sanity by implementing the Street Vending and Public Nuisances Amendment regulations, which were effected through Statutory Instrument Number 44 of 2007.
Under Statutory instrument Number 44 of 2007, the councils have power to confiscate the music systems of erring traders or individuals and fine them for breaking the law.
The councils even have the power to auction such equipment in default.
This is exactly what the councils should do to restore calm in trading and residential areas because many people are in the habit of only doing the right thing when punished. This law should be firmly applied to make such people law-abiding.
The action by the council in Ndola should hopefully send a clear signal to others in the habit of such public nuisance, that there are regulations, which forbid the playing of loud music in public and residential areas.
It is also a challenge to other councils in the country facing this problem to swing into action and implement the law.
The delegated legislation was not just invoked for the sake of it but to ensure sanity.
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The Minister of Local Government and Housing, Sylvia Masebo, appears keen to address issues pertaining to public nuisance and has issued a number of statutory instruments in that direction but the implementation will need support from councils.
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