The chair of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Nadra Nathai-Gyan yesterday identified Arima, San Juan and Tacarigua as being the noisiest communities that rang in the New Year.
The bulk of text messages and calls the EMA’s Environmental Police Unit (EPU) received from the public on Old Year’s night into the wee hours of New Year’s morning came from these areas, Nathai-Gyan said.
However, of the three districts, Nathai-Gyan said Arima was, “Particularly bad.”
She said the EPU officers who responded to the calls had to “educate the residents” about the EMA’s noise pollution control rules, which they claimed they were unaware of.
“But those who were spoken to eventually complied. The EPU went to areas where there were repeated complaints of noise disturbances in the past,” she said.
On Saturday, the EMA, which is guided by the Noise Pollution Control Rules (NPCR), 2001 reminded the public of the detrimental effect that noise, particularly that of fireworks, can have on sensitive groups such as newborn babies, the elderly, the infirm and animals.
Where noise was in excess of the prescribed levels under the NPCR, the EMA warned that they can initiate enforcement action against individuals or entities found to be in breach.
Nathai-Gyan said the unit received 40 text messages and calls from the public whose peace was disrupted by high noise levels while ringing in the New Year.
“The EPU was inundated with calls. It tells me these are the kinds of things we are supposed to be doing to make ourselves available to the public who have noise issues.”
While the EMA could not respond to all the text messages and calls, Nathai-Gyan said those that they could not handle was passed on to the police.
Asked if the EPU arrested anyone for breach of the law, Nathai-Gyan said no.
The EPU has 18 officers.
Stating that the EMA was in the midst of an operational review, Nathai-Gyan said increasing the strength of the unit will come after an assessment is made.