Assessment of Traffic Noise Pollution in Burla Town,India;An InclusiveAnnoyance Study

Noise pollution is one of the major public health problems in urban areas throughout the world.Noise is unwanted sound which produces undesirable problems in day to day life of human being(e.g.,physiological and psychological problems).Rapid increase of the industrialization,urbanization,infrastructure,volume of motor vehicles,and increase in the road networks brought noise pollution to the highest level of disaster in a current situation.In urban areas,road traffic noise plays commanding role among all noise sources and affects the exposed inhabitants.The present work is done to evaluate and assess the traffic noise and its effects in Burla town.Burla,Vidyanagari of Odisha,is an emerging town in India,as it hosts national level of teaching and research institutions like IIM Sambalpur,a medical college-cum-hospital(VIMSAR),a technical university(VSSUT)and Sambalpur University.In last two decade,the road traffic volume has been increased and is facing severe noise pollution to its inhabitants.Noise pollution assessment was made at different locations of the town.This study unveiled the dismal state of noise pollution in the town.Noise contour maps were drawn to visualize the noise level at the traffic and its surroundings.The numbers of hearing impaired patients in different hospitals of the locality are increasing.That shows grim picture of the situation.Regression equations were established taking noise levels with percentage of highly annoyed people during study indicates strong correlation.

Integrated Condition Monitoring of Large Captive Power Plants and Aluminum Smelters

Condition monitoring is implementation of the advanced diagnostic techniques to reduce downtime and to increase the efficiency and reliability.The research is for determining the usage of advanced techniques like Vibration analysis,Oil analysis and Thermography to diagnose ensuing problems of the Plant and Machinery at an early stage and plan to take corrective and preventive actions to eliminate the forthcoming breakdown and enhancing the reliability of the system.Nowadays,the most of the industries have adopted the condition monitoring techniques as a part of support system to the basic maintenance strategies.Major condition monitoring technique they follow is Vibration Spectrum Analysis,which can detect faults at a very early stage.However implementation of other techniques like Oil analysis or Ferrography,Thermography etc.can further enhance the data interpretation as they would detect the source of abnormality at much early stage thus providing us with a longer lead time to plan and take the corrective actions.In Large Captive Power Plants and Aluminium Smelters,Integrated Condition Monitoring techniques play an important role as stoppage of primary system and its auxiliaries(boiler,steam turbine,generator,coal and ash handling plants etc.)results into the stoppage of the entire plant,which in turn leads to loss of productivity.From economical and operational point of view,it is desirable to ensure optimum level of system availability.