Times of India

Bangalore, Apr 10: The IT city is truly becoming a city city 'bang bang', thanks to the din created by construction and traffic. For Bangaloreans, the message is 'loud' and clear: Go in for earplugs. And that is precisely what they are doing.

A recent study done by an importer of ear equipment and the traffic police, indicated that Bangalore's decibel level stands at 120 dB, as against the threshold level of 80-90 dB.

As a result, earplugs have become to noise pollution what air-breathers are to air pollution, and sun glasses to summer. The construction boom that perennially ensures some form of bang-clash through the day, as also the constant traffic movement, are touted as the biggest offenders.

Says home-maker Namitha Kejriwal, Race Course Road, who's been plugging her ear for months now, "There are lot of street dogs which howl in the night. Plus there's some construction activity.

The earplugs cut down the noise by maybe 75%, but not 100%." Experts say earplugs reduce noise levels by up to 20 dB. Corporates are currently the largest consumers.

IT major Microsoft recently procured over 100 earplugs for its employees. Another apartment complex on Bannerghatta Road ordered 500 earplugs for its residents.

Businessman Ravi Narayan claims he has been selling earplugs in the range of a thousand a month, for the last three months.

"There is an earplug available which is made of special polymer and has a soft self-adjusting foam which can fit every ear canal. Scientific studies have shown that damaged hearing is irreversible.

This is especially true in places where a person is constantly exposed to dangerous decibel levels." Do these plugs act as stop-gaps or do they really offer respite?

Dr Sambamurthy, professor and head of ENT dept, M S Ramaiah College, says: "Actually, nothing can prevent extreme noise from entering the eardrums.

But these earplugs can help cut sound to the extent of 30%. In extreme cases, it is better to use them to avoid constant noise."