The Enugu government says it will begin enforcement of the anti-noise pollution policy to combat the rampant noise pollution in the metropolis on November 15.

Uche Anya, the chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement on how to minimise noise in the state.

“The state government will soon begin the implementation of the anti-noise pollution policy in Enugu capital and environs to regulate noise within the residential areas,” he said.

Describing the engagement as apt, he advised churches and owners of entertainment centres to soundproof their buildings so as not to disturb the neighbourhood.

The chairman said the engagement aimed not to demolish any church or entertainment centre but to brainstorm the best way to make the residential areas have some sanity.

He said the authority had received over a thousand petitions from the people concerning the rate of noise pollution in the state.

The ECTDA boss said if a church or an entertainment centre existed before residential houses started springing up around the zone, the church or the entertainment centre should soundproof the building.

He threatened to shut down any church or entertainment centre within the residential zones that refused to comply with the government’s directives, even when it obtained any form of noise permit from the state government.

Mr Anya promised that the agency would be humane in handling the situation, which he said was not aimed at harming anyone but to make the state conducive for living and in the best interest of the residents.

Carley Ibekwe and Sariki Sambo assured the agency of their readiness to comply with the directives.

(NAN)