'Baby's hearing may be damaged'

Even though new mom at hospital next to Rahul Gandhi's rally covered infant's ears, docs warn...

Even though new mom at hospital next to Rahul Gandhi's rally covered infant's ears, docs warn...

Usha Shinde (20), has heard of Rahul Gandhi. She knows he's Sonia Gandhi's son and a Congress leader, and she's seen him on TV.
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Yesterday, when the Congress General Secretary arrived to address a rally at the zilla parishad ground, she heard him up close, but wasn't particularly happy about his presence, just 40 m from the Panvel Rural Hospital.

Usha had delivered a healthy baby boy on Wednesday, just 15- hours-old, before Rahul began his speech loudspeakers blaring with decibel levels of at least a 100 db.

For Cryin' Out Loud: Usha Shinde with her baby, whose delicate eardrums were pounded by loudspeakers yesterday.

And that's just one loudspeaker. An adult should not be exposed to sound levels over 105 db.

Said Dr Archana Kavalakat, consultant pediatrician and neonatologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Thane, "A baby's sense of hearing is far more sensitive than that of an adult. By the time we grow up, we've already lost a few frequencies.
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I cannot directly comment on this baby's case, as I wasn't there to determine the sound levels.

But since a baby's ear drums are sensitive, loud noise can damage hearing and increase the heartbeat."

Though Usha didn't know about decibel levels, the alert mom, knew it was loud enough to harm her baby.

"All the doors and the windows of the hospital had been shut. I held my baby close to my chest and covered his ears so that he wouldn't wake up crying in pain," said Usha.

Doctors at the hospital, however, said there was no need to get the baby's ears examined.

Ear me out

The rally went on for over an hour with CM Ashok Chavan and local leaders of Panvel addressing the 10,000-strong crowd.

Luckily, just five beds of the hospital were occupied. A resident said the sound was so loud it could be heard nearly a km away from the spot.
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Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the organiser of the rally for violationg the Noise Pollution Control Act 2000 and the Environment Protection Act 1986 by organising a rally in a silent zone.

Pandurang Makhdoom, the election officer of the Panvel area, said, "A case had been registered against Arun Janardan Bhagatu00a0 and investigations are on."

Medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr N S Vanjare, said, "Rallies have been organised here for ages, but I want to reserve my comment on this incident."

Shor Sharaba: Rahul Gandhiu00a0addressed the rally at the zilla parishad ground next to the Panvel Rural Hospital, which is a silent zone, yesterday.

Voices

Rallies have been organised at the zilla parishad ground for more than 50 years now. It's not the party's fault.

The people who have complained have hidden motives. Every other party has conducted rallies at the same ground.u00a0

Ram Seth Thakur
Former MP and senior Congress leader

Loudspeakers generally create noise as high as 95 to 100 decibels.
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High sound decibels can even make a child deaf and there are cases where an infant lost her hearing permanently because firecrackers were burst outside the hospital where she was born.

I hope nothing happens to this child.

Sumaira Abdulali
Founder, Awaaz Foundation, u00a0an NGO fighting for the problems related to noise pollution

100 metres
The area surrounding a hospital, school, court or religious places that is declared a Silent Zone.