Noumea

town launches campaign against noise polluters

municipal ity has launched a new war against noise pollution, an increasing

problem in the French Territory’s cap ital, the daily newspaper Les Nou velles Caledoniennes reported.

Noise control in Noumea was regulated by a decree passed two years ago, but had not been implemented yet.

The March 7, 1997, decree stipulates that “every noise caused unnecessarily or by negligence and is likely to affect neigh bours health or tranquillity, daily or night ly,” constitutes an offence with a maximum fine of 270,000 CEP (U 552,700).

In August, in a bid to educate the gener al public, the Noumea municipality launched a one-month advertising cam paign by way of posters.

Although these are no causes for major noises in Noumea (such as large highways, railways or airports) the main message is to call on the public to minimise noise emissions, whether from cars, mopeds or stereos, to keep Noumea “a sweet and pleasant town.”

“So this means Noumea inhabitants only suffer from noises they produce them selves, that is domestic noises, including those produced by pets,” a municipality spokesman said, adding dog barking and

howling at night came first on their hit list.

Dog owners were therefore reminded to keep their favourite pets under strict noise control.

Loud volume levels on stereos, televi sions or lawnmowers on weekends were also identified.

“To clamp down on decibels is the same struggle as for keeping Noumea clean of lit

ter: it’s all about protecting everyone’s quality of life.”

Noisy domestic works were also banned under the decree before 6 AM and 7 PM, as well as on week ends and public holidays.

Campaign promoters in the municipal ity hope the message, if it’s well received and followed by the population, could also reduce the number of neighbourhood con flicts, which, they say, often results from a noise problem. They quoted an amazing 1,500 noise-related incidents requiring municipal police interventions each year. (PINA Nius Online) ■

Despite seeming the ideal tropical paradise, even Noumea faces a problem of noise pol lution, which town councilors have decided must stop