MUKONO, UGANDA: Police in Mukono district have sensitized bar owners and managers on dangers of noise pollution before executing a crackdown.
The engagement follows a directive issued in April by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi to all territorial commanders to crackdown on those involved in noise pollution in the country.
The Kampala Metropolitan East Environment Unit Commander, ASP Joseph Ssentamu together with Mukono Division in charge, Wilson Byamukama have revealed that despite the several warnings, they still receive overwhelming complaints from especially residential areas about noise pollution both at night and day.
Byamukama notes that besides noise from the bars and born-again churches, in Mukono sound trucks also make drives in restricted areas such as hospitals, courts of law and schools without reducing sound levels.
ASP Ssentamu notes that they have made enough engagement about the same and what is left is execution of the crackdown on those who are still adamant.
“We shall implement this using the National Environmental Management Authority noise ordinances to purposely address the massive complaints from residents over facilities that pollute among them bars and churches, as well as residential parties,” ASP Ssentamu said.
Nonetheless, stakeholders still plead with police to sensitize them about accepted levels of sound besides producing simple materials breaking down NEMA ordinances instead of issuing what they (stakeholders) have termed as threats.
Joseph Musinguzi, the manager of Pearl Resort at Mbalala Mukono says the sensitization done by police is still wanting since they also lack a proper strategy suiting Mukono, especially when it comes to differentiating bars located in industrial, business, health and residential areas.
The Chairperson for Mukono Bar Owners and Proprietors Association, Denis Ntege is suspicious that the police move is aimed at creating unnecessary means of charging them like it was the case during lockdown.
He notes that they should engage Mukono municipality for sensible implementation of the program since it is also in line with and simultaneously creating a similar program of regulating sound levels.
In an effort to control the increasing noise pollution in Mukono municipality last month, the Municipal Mayor Erisa Mukasa Nkoyoyo revealed that they procured a sound level meter to help measure the volume of noise made in the town.
According to the National Environment (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations, 2003, the maximum permissible noise levels for any building used as a hospital, convalescence home, home for the aged, sanatorium and institutes of higher learning, conference rooms, public library, and environmental or recreational sites do not exceed 45 decibels during the day and 35 decibels during the night.
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