New Delhi, Jan 14 (ANI): Union Environment and Forests Ministry on Thursday decided to set up a National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network on the pattern of existing Air and Water Networks.

The ministry has prepared a road map for the same.

“This will be ready by September 2010 and these noise monitoring stations will be set up on a pilot basis in seven cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Lucknow,” ministry said in a statement.

These seven cities will have 10 stations each. The network shall be extended to additional eighteen cities in 2011 with 5 stations in each city.

The setting up of network and development of infrastructure for noise mapping in the country is expected to be in place within five years, the statement said.

In the first phase a total of 160 stations in 25 cities shall be established in the balance period of 2 years of the current Five Year Plan, which is estimated to cost roughly Rs. 10 crores.

Till now, Central and State Pollution Control Boards have been carrying out sporadic or isolated noise monitoring in urban areas. With the new system in place, a systematic national level monitoring and reporting network in the country will be available as in case of air and water pollution.

The objective of this Road Map is to facilitate setting up of a systematic national level noise monitoring network in a time bound manner.

The network will result in creation of base line data and facilitate its analysis for policy makers and implementing agencies to take appropriate actions for noise control at regional and national level. (ANI)