Traffic woes are here to haunt. It promises to remain for quite some time. Commuters of the twin districts of Imphal will have to bear the brunt. The authorities have promised to complete the construction of the new Sanjenthong Bridge within a year time. IFP is ready to bury all premonitions concerning any kind of governmental projects that the state has taken up. Considering that the construction works has just begun, we do not wish to be the bad omen. Completion of the project within the stipulated time is a must. The traffic mayhem we witnessed after the closure of the bridge was not out of expectation. For sure, one can point finger to the authorities for its ill-preparedness. There is still time for the government to pay attention to the alternative routes for better traffic flow. We saw people working overtime on Sunday at the newly constructed Thumbuthong Bridge. The bridge is also a vital connect between Imphal east and west. Completion of Thumbuthong would somehow ease the congestions in a small way, which is welcome. While addressing the problem of traffic congestions the unplanned connectivity and the often misdirected routes would come in the forefront. What is missing is taking into cognizance of the unbridled rise in the number of vehicles in the two districts of Imphal. The fastest growing are the passenger vehicles. Those are diesel auto rickshaws and the mini four wheelers. Of the two, the diesel driven rickshaws have occupied the maximum traffic volume that the Imphal roads can hold. The noise that these rickshaws generate is the most excruciating. Cities and suburban across India do not have such rickshaws on their roads. Perhaps, Imphal could be the only place that accommodates them. And this is the biggest blunder that the state transport department has committed. The department in all its lackadaisicalness has issued driving permit to this vehicle without looking into its engine specifications. This rickshaw announces its arrival beyond the five hundred meter radius. We wonder if the transport department has heard about something called the decibel level or sound pollution in simple terms. In addition to this are the diesel driven heavy duty vehicles which have been running for more than five decades. The people of Imphal wake up with sound pollution and get exposed to it the whole day. A day with general strike is an exception. It is worth mentioning that the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 takes into account the ambient noise levels in public places from various sources, inter-alia industrial activity, construction activity, vehicular horns and other mechanical devices that deleteriously effects human health and the psychological well-being; it is considered necessary to regulate and control noise generating from these sources. Public addressing system and loud speakers are also included among the sources of noise pollution. With the onset of summer, the valley of Manipur has started reverberating with the loud speakers from the Lai Haraoba from the four corners. Here, we do not mean to question the prominence of Lai Haraoba that it has religio-cultural way of life of the Meitie community. The use of loud speakers that amplifies the sound of Lai Haraoba performance beyond three or four Leikais is debatable. This is a practice which is neither primitive nor modern, but it stands somewhere between the two. Its practical purpose would suit those days when the medium of communication was limited; when there was need to announce that a Lai Haraoba is in its session and that neighbors should join the rituals without fail. Just imagine the sound of the Clarinet and the drum playing at high decibels over the loud speakers, giving little thought for the aged, the unwell and the infants who need undisturbed rest. It is high time to bury such practice. The sound of the performances should confine within the periphery of the Laibung, catering to the audience present. In simple words, Lai Haraoba should not be an extension of the Yaoshang Sports entertainment programe. The noise level of Imphal has already reached its threshold. We should take care not to worsen it.
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