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Chief Editors: Saman Siddiqui and Varun Sule
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Problems never seem to cease for students living in hostels. Now, intermittent noises are coming from the pump running near the pipeline, causing annoyance to the residents of hostels 3, 4, 6 and 18. This cacophonous nuisance has not cropped up recently, the problem has persisted for more than a month now. Last week, the problem was at bay when the noise stopped for a few days. It was a relief for the students with the ongoing end-semester examinations, but once again the noise is distressing the students.
As informed us by the students, there are two slots in the whole day,10 PM in the night and 4 AM in the morning when the noise is at its highest. The sound fades in both the times, approximately after an hour. Students who have rooms near the campus boundaries are the most affected, at times, the measured noise level in these rooms is recorded in 75-80 dB range, which regularly crosses 80 dB. For the uninformed, longer exposure to sound levels above 85 dB are harmful to human ears. A similar concern was reflected by a final year student living in H-18.
“The noise levels are very intense even in the bedroom and at a high frequency. Not only is this highly annoying but also harmful to our hearing. Our schedules during the placement time tend to be highly irregular, and it is essential for us that there are no external hindrances like these at all, let alone at obscene hours in the night. It becomes difficult to sleep/wake up on time.”
Image of the app (sound meter) that was used to measure the noise level
We contacted the HA council and Estate office, and to no surprise, the hostel council and office are inundated with complaints from the residents, and all they can do is to remind the MCGM. Pankaj Bhosale Sir, a junior engineer in the estate office told us that they have contacted MCGM multiple times and have asked for a rapid redressme.co.nz/ball-dresses.html”>dressme.co.nz/ball-dressme.co.nz/ball-dresses.html”>dresses.html”>dressme.co.nz/ball-dresses.html”>dressal of the problem. We also spoke with an assistant engineer Sunil Mane in the corporation, he assured us with the promise of repair but only after a day or two. As per him, MCGM is busy with leakage repairing works of the pipeline, and they would only be able to get to our problem once repairs are done. We also took the issue to the Dean IPS Prof. B.V.S.Viswanadham who acknowledged that institute never faced such a problem before but it will be solved soon.
This issue first came to the fore when students from hostel 3 and 4 reported a bellowing sound at night, about a month ago. The noise was coming from a motor near the water pipeline behind hostel 3 and 4 which comes under MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) earlier known as BMC. Ever since the hostel affairs council is in the loop with MCGM and the Estate office. The response from the corporation has been shoddy, but numerous calls and letters coaxed them into taking the matter in their hands.
Credits: Ritesh Sadvik
It was found out that a faulty water pump lies within the campus premises. After days when it was repaired, it brought no joy as another malfunctioning pump was spotted near hostel 18. Again after a few days, the repaired pump between hostel 3 and 4 started causing trouble. We are told that it was fixed again, yet the noise has continued. While the water pump near hostel 18 has not been checked yet, the problem with this pump is still unknown. Amid all this commotion, students are losing their night sleep. Repeated complaints have resulted in action, though delayed, the problem persists.
With the hindsight and precedents, a solution seems to be a chimera. The placements are looming, and with the pressure peaking to another high, students can’t withstand another unwanted problem. We urge the repairing to be done soon to give students a peaceful, pollution-free environment they deserve.
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