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Awaaz Foundation is a charitable trust and non-governmental organisation in Mumbai, India, which builds awareness, carries out advocacy, and is involved in educational projects to protect the environment and prevent environmental pollution. It has impacted many important decisions by the government and influenced policy making in important environmental matters in India. The beneficiaries of the Foundation are the citizens of India at large. Awaaz Foundation was founded on 21 February 2006 by Sumaira Abdulali, a well-known environmentalist, who has exposed many scandals of environmental villainy in India at personal risk. The Foundation has filed several public interest litigations, including demands for strict implementation of noise-pollution laws, better functioning of Mumbai’s Tree Authority,〔 〕 reducing noise pollution, banning sale of tobacco to minors,〔 〕 efforts to counter politically sponsored sand mining mafia〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=How sand mining mafia is plundering beaches, creeks )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Revenge attacks )〕 and notification of the biodiverse Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor as an ecologically sensitive area.〔'Declare Sawantwadi corridor ecologically sensitive by Dec'〕 ==Noise pollution== Noise pollution is a serious health hazard and can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, Tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, heart disease, mental illness and other serious effects on health. Like smoking, noise pollution affects active and passive recipients when noise levels cross certain safe boundaries.〔http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2012/oct/021012-Mumbai-Health-noise-pollution-eardrums-hazardous-affect-Ganpati-Visarjan.htm〕〔 〕 Anti-Social behaviour such as public use of firecrackers and Loudspeakers〔 〕〔 〕 is a highly sensitive social issue〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕 in India.〔 〕〔 〕 Among the major forms of pollution in India is noise pollution. There is no parallel in the world to the noise pollution generated during festivals and religious celebrations in India.〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕 For Indians, making noise is a sign of happiness. For politicians the ability to make a big noise, by using huge loudspeakers at any opportunity, is a sign of strength. Festivals in India have become political battlegrounds as politicians try to score brownie points over one another by attempting to host the noisiest festival. The use of loudspeakers, permitted by the courts on certain occasions, often exceeds the permissible decibel limit, causing a great deal of stress and anxiety to the neighbourhoods.〔 〕 Awaaz Foundation has advocated against noise pollution from various sources and has conducted campaigns to create awareness of adverse health effects from noise in a methodical and scientific manner.〔http://www.awaaz.org/Awaaz_Foundation/Noise_advocacy/Entries/2013/8/5_The_Anti_-_Noise_pollution_campaign_in_India_by_Faiz_Abdulali.html〕〔http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?287762〕〔 〕 The various noise pollution campaigns of the Foundation have received widespread public support and turned into a public movement in Mumbai followed by the rest of the country. Increased awareness and vigilance of citizens has resulted in policy change, better systems and better implementation of Noise Rules.〔 〕 Awaaz Foundation systematically collected noise pollution data for the first time in India, collated and presented it to the State and Union Governments, Courts, police and citizens. Data was generated of noise levels at major events since 2003, from sources including firecrackers, traffic, loudspeakers, industrial equipment and construction. In 2010 Awaaz Foundation tested noise levels of helicopters after several leading Industrialists applied for permission to build private helipads atop their residential buildings in densely populated areas of Mumbai. After the data was presented in court. permission to use private helipads in all urban areas of India were banned by the MoEF.〔http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/No-private-helipads-Jairam/Article1-568355.aspx〕 Also based on data presented to MoEF during the pendency of the public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court, Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests accepted all recommendations by Awaaz Foundation on 11 January 2010 for stricter noise laws in the country and issued a new notification to ban use of loudspeakers, musical instruments and honking in the areas demarcated as silence zones, including areas around religious places throughout India.〔 〕 The MoEF denied permission to the State Government of Maharashtra to permit private helipads for personal use of individuals atop residential buildings and included other sources of noise such as traffic and construction noise within the ambit of the Rules for the first time.〔 〕 Awaaz foundation filed a Public Interest Litigation on 12 November 2007 in Mumbai High Court〔 (【引用サイトリンク】title=PIL No 85 of 2007 and affidavits In Mumbai High Court )〕 seeking implementation of Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, which contemplate creation of silence zones around educational places, courts, hospitals and religious places also. In 2009 the Bombay High Court accepted the need for implementation of stricter noise laws and ordered the State Government to implement Noise Pollution regulation rules notified by 'Central Pollution board', (one of the Subordinate and statutory bodies) of Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests. Consequent to the Bombay High Court Order, the State Government of Maharashtra initially notified and asked municipal bodies in the state to demarcate an area of around educational institutions, hospitals and courts as silence zones but left out the areas surrounding religious places as silence zones. Awaaz Foundation once again petitioned the Court to have these places notified as silence zones.〔 〕 On 6 August 2009, the principal secretary of the Home Department, Government of Maharashtra in an affidavit told the court that about 1,313 religious places had been identified in the city of Mumbai and the BMC would put up Silence zone boards within three months. Finally On 20 Aug 2009 principal secretary (appeals and security) Government of Maharashtra Mr. Anna Dani filed an affidavit stating that a supplementary notification has been issued to include all religious places in silence zone, and has been circulated to all civic bodies in the state.〔 (【引用サイトリンク】title=Affidavit of State Government of Maharashtra – THURSDAY 20 AUGUST 2009 )〕 Awaaz Foundation’s advocacy against noise pollution in India motivated the Government of India to make rules and implement them. Awaaz Foundation has successfully petitioned both local and state governments in India to impose stricter noise pollution laws. Under the Environment Protection Act, in which the new Noise Pollution Rules are framed, violation of the rules is punishable with a Jail term of up to five years and fine of .〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕〔 〕 Firecrackers, initially used mainly during the Diwali Festival, are now used to celebrate almost any occasion including weddings, cricket matches, and festivals of every community. Awaaz Foundation tested the noise levels of firecrackers along with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013. The noise level of almost all crackers exceeded 100dB and some varieties consistently exceeded 125 dB. Firecracker packaging did not disclose details of noise levels or chemical content or even the year of manufacture; the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) who is the Authority to check firecrackers at the stage of manufacture and the Arms and Explosives Department of the Mumbai Police who license firecracker vendors did not take action for many years following complaints of violations. In 2012, Awaaz Foundation, under Right to Information, obtained an Order to disclose details of all firecrackers tested by PESO on their website. Diwali 2012 was the quietest Diwali in recent years〔http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/noise-levels-crackers-be-put-web-site-1503#.UkeuJhY0Pdk〕〔http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/noise-levels-crackers-be-put-web-site-1503#.UkefEhY0Pdk〕〔http://archive.asianage.com/mumbai/city-braces-itself-noisy-diwali-540〕〔http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mumbai-set-to-celebrate-a-greener-diwali-as-ngo-spreads-awareness-against-pollution/305349-3-237.html〕 In 2013. the Mumbai Police undertook an awareness and enforcement campaign for the 10pm deadline on bursting crackers during the Diwali Festival. The Firecracker Distributors' Association of Mumbai and Thane also cooperated in this effort. Diwali 2013 was the quietest in a decade. Awaaz Foundation also has organised volunteers groups, offered them support and education to all those who faced noise related problems, independently monitored Ambient noise level using sound level meter.〔 〕 and interacted with the authorities to ensure their support and co operation.〔 〕 Excessive noise from loudspeakers,〔 〕 construction,〔 traffic 〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Traffic Noise in Mumbai )〕 and firecrackers〔 〕〔 〕 have been separately taken up by Foundation at various times and with various authorities; educational programs and publications for schools, colleges, citizens groups and the authorities empowered to implement the laws have been supported and implemented.〔 〕 Awaaz Foundation encouraged citizen participation to implement noise rules by creating awareness about a free downloadable application onto phones to measure decibel levels. Awaaz requested citizens to complain to the Mumbai Police website with a copy to them for followup and received numerous complaints in the festival season 2012. In 2013, Awaaz Foundation used newly available technology called Noise Watch, a free App to use smartphones or iPhones as decibel meters to build a participatory citizens campaign to map noise levels across Mumbai. A Facebook page (Citizens' Noise Map ) supports the initiative and the readings taken by citizens are upload able directly onto a GIS map. The initiative caught on quickly during Ganpati 2013 and spread to other Indian cities such as Pune almost immediately. The citizens' noise map was sent to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and spurred a decision of the Government to conduct a formal noise map of Mumbai.〔http://www.indianexpress.com/news/use-new-phone-app-to-check-noise-levels-in-your-area-and-post-it-on-fb/1168009/〕 Awaaz Foundation measured noise at the Shiv Sena Party's annual Dasara Rally in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and presented their findings to the Police and Bombay High Court. Based on these readings the Police filed cases against Rally organizers. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Awaaz Foundation」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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