Vivekanand College, Aurangabad, says Yes to Voice, No to Noise
CHALLENGE
With the polling day close, political parties have intensified their campaigns. They use vehicles with loudspeakers for canvassing. There is a limit of 65 dB (measurement of noise) in public places but these campaigners cross the limit. These campaigns cause a lot of inconvenience near hospitals, schools, colleges, various governmental and semi-governmental offices. The campaigners also ignore the silence zones. To solve this problem of noisepollution, the Young Inspirators Network (YIN) members from Vivekanand College in Aurangabad have decided to spread awareness on the issue. The students will talk to the drivers of vehicles that are crossing the 65 dB limit and party workers of the respective parties. The students will also sensitise the people about the problems caused due to noise in silence zones and make them aware of the problems faced by citizens when the campaigns are held at crowded places. They will request party workers to avoid these practices.
ACTION PLAN
Students of Vivekanand College will meet leaders and candidates of all political parties. They will ask the candidates to take an oath not to campaign using loudspeakers installed on vehicles in silence zones, like schools, colleges, hospitals etc. All YIN members will be divided in to three-four groups and will approach candidates from all three constituencies and will create awareness. Students will also ask candidates to solve traffic problems at crowded places while campaigning. Students will also meet the Assistant Police Commissioner for Traffic to spread awareness through social networking sites.
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Mentor
Shashikant Hadgal
This initiative of the YIN members is very important. We will create awareness among the candidates to follow the rules of silent zones by maintaining the noise level below 65 dB in that specific area. We will see how we can sustain this activity.
Deputy Collector (Election), Aurangabad -
Expert Advise
Dr Ashok Gaikwad
The students are addressing an important issue through the YIN platform. There is a bar on the spending of candidates for election campaigning. Likewise, there are also standards for acceptable noise levels. Special silence zones must be created during elections. I will support the students in this initiative.
HOD Computer Science, Aurangabad -
Students
Swati Ashok
YIN members will meet all candidates and appeal to them not to campaign in silence zones with loudspeakers. In the future, we will take up this drive in every election.
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Kaustubh Dahibhate
We will ask volunteers and candidates to campaign through pamphlets instead of loudspeakers. YIN members will ask candidates to take an oath not to use loudspeakers.
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Kapul Sutar
We will ask the drivers of vehicles being used for election campaigns to maintain the volume level of the loudspeakers below 65 dB in silence zones in the city. We will also be spreading awareness through various mobile applications.