Noise exceeds norms in Yerevan, say environmentalists

Noise in Yerevan exceeds the allowed norm which negatively affects people, the fauna and flora, environmentalists have warned.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday Karine Danielyan said that the main cause of noise in the capital are the traffic, the construction and the music that plays out loud here and there in the city.

According to her, the allowed norm of noise for Yerevan is 70 decibel for the daytime and 60 for nighttime. But the real level of noise in the capital exceeds these figures by 7-8 decibels.

“Loud voice has been a sign of warning both with animals and with the homo sapiens,” said she, speaking about the loud music that can be heard in cafes and restaurants located in Yerevan parks.

Besides driving people into stress, Danielyan explained, loud noise is also harmful for hearing. That is why people residing in cities and towns have hearing problems in their old ages, compared to those who live in the countryside.

According to her, today there no areas where Yerevan residents could have a rest.

“We don’t have the areas where we can sit, breath fresh air … And that’s a very important precondition,” she said.

Tamara Galstyan, another environmentalist also present at the press conference, said that the fight against noise goes back to centuries, to the Julius Caesar, when there was even a law that prohibited cart traffic in the streets at night.

According to her one reason for stress for Yerevan residents is also the metro as the trains make much noise because they don’t have rubber wheels.