Tirana finally ready with the local noise management plan

Noise is a disturbing and growing phenomenon in many large cities in our country, and with significant impacts on the health of residents of the most populated areas.

Tirana results with more than double the norm set by European standards in terms of noise level, where the two busiest streets are, Shqiponja Square and near the intersection "Teodor Keko". While the Local Plan for noise control, the draft of which was recently drafted by the Municipality of Tirana, came as a positive development and the result of activism and persistent advocacy of civil society, in a three-year civic effort.

Activists of the "No Noise" initiative supported by LevizAlbania by gathering signatures for the petition against the acoustic occurrence in Tirana

In studies of civil society and state authorities, the capital, which has the highest concentration of residents, turns out to have the highest noise level according to measurements conducted during the years 2018-2021.

Heavy traffic and car horns, especially at intersections, but also the circulation of heavy vehicles, and noise from buildings near schools, hospitals, other institutions, or even beyond, seriously endanger the health of citizens, as these noises cause acoustic pollution and if they exceed the permissible noise level, they directly harm the citizens.

According to environmental experts, not a few, but at least 350 thousand inhabitants of Tirana are constantly exposed all the time to noise pollution above the norms, negatively affecting their daily lives,

According to the World Health Organization, the most important consequences of noise are: hearing loss, sleep disorders, physiological effects, work-related stress and increased risk of accidents. The effects of noise accumulate in the individual as noise events, with negative effects on hearing, psychic and lifestyle. The main sources of environmental noise are: Social and cultural service activities (nightclubs, bars, restaurants, discos, various service departments, etc.); Transport sector (road, air, water and rail); Economic activities that use noise-generating equipment and machinery, such as saws, electric motors, generators, pneumatic hammers, etc.

Acoustic pollution is ranked as the cause no. 2 of diseases in the category of environmental pollutants, after that of pollution by fine solid particles.

For this reason, environmental experts over the years have sounded the alarm about the lack of controls by the National Environmental Inspectorate, the lack of a local plan and a map of the Municipality of Tirana, and the indifference of society as a whole.

The report "Green Lungs for our cities" from Co-plan states that during the period January 2020-March 2021 in the city of Tirana were carried out noise level measurements in four different areas, and in all have resulted in much higher noise levels higher than the allowed rate.

"From the data from the measurements it results that the noise level reaches the maximum levels, in the value of 132 dB, at the former Shqiponja Square", it is said in the report, where it is added that another very high measured value is near the intersection of the road 'Teodor Keko' with the road 'Abedin Rexha' (122 dB), while the maximum value allowed during the day is 55 dB. So the noise level reaches more than twice the allowed rate. "Another value, which exceeds twice the allowed rate and reaches 103 dB, was measured not far from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, near the area 'Former Aviation Field', the report says, which states that during dinner there is a slight decrease, but again it is much higher than the allowed norms (maximum allowed value at night is 45 dB) ",stated in this Report.

Meanwhile, some of the other areas that show high values ​​are: the intersection of “Gjergj Fishta” boulevard with Kavaja Street (81 dB), the intersection of “Jordan Misja” street with “Azem Galica” street (69 dB), Boulevard "Jean D'Ark" near "Odhise Grillo" street (98 dB) and "Dinamo" Market on "Xhanize Keko" street (79 dB) ". " These areas are mainly near the intersections of some main roads, where there is a significant increase in traffic, but also more frequent movement of vehicles. "High values ​​of noise are achieved in some other areas of Tirana, which are above the allowed norm, but lower than those that can be considered" red areas "in terms of acoustic pollution ", the report says, as note that in residential areas within the small ring the noises go up to 78 dB.

 "Compared to the period January 2019-May 2020, in some areas of Tirana there is an increase in the measured level of noise, listing as the main cause the increase in the activity of construction of private buildings in the city center and there is a slight decrease in "Average values ​​of the noise level measured during dinner hours, mainly due to the significant decline in the activity of bars and restaurants in this area," the report states.

Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency has published the latest noise report in 2021 .

Based on noise monitoring at 15 stations in Tirana during 2020, the Agency reports that there is an exceedance of the norm during the day in all stations, except for the stations "Rruga e Elbasanit" and

"Vasil Shanto Crossing" where the monitored levels do not exceed the norm during the day because the monitoring

was committed during the pandemic. The highest levels during the day were monitored at the stations "Skënderbeu", "Stadium Dinamo" and "Partizani i Panjohur" where we have exceeded the norm during the day by 24.7%, 23.9% and 26.8%. While at night, the level has been higher than the rate at all stations . The highest level is monitored in the stations "Lapraka (Hospital Crossroads)" where we have exceeded the rate of 34%, "Train Station" and "Dinamo Stadium" 32%.

Source: National Environment Agency

From the figures of this Agency Report, it seems that the noise level for Tirana has increased in 2019, but there is a slight decrease in 2020 in the average value for Tirana, while Co-Plan reports an increase in the level of noise pollution, at least in the hottest areas of Tirana for 2020 and 2021. 

   Source: National Environment Agency

Meanwhile, the residents themselves are very worried about the noise they feel near the residential premises. Alex points out that living in Don Bosco is often difficult, because if you do not have glazed doors and windows, the noise will penetrate to the upper floors of the palaces.

"There are certain days when in the morning and afternoon hours the traffic here is almost crazy, and this causes a great chaos that is felt even inside the house. It becomes an unbearable noise. Meanwhile, the constructions that are done nearby are another problem. "I called the police very often, but to no avail. After midnight, no one came from the state structures, while the work continued without worrying about the palace construction team ", he says.

While Eno who lives in the Sauk area said that often there, from traffic, car horns do not know how to stop, causing serious damage to the psychological side of the area residents, the elderly, children and other persons as well.

Prof. Assoc. Besim Boçi, Head of ENT Service at QSUT said for the Local Gate that if it stays for a very long period of time exposed to loud noises, for many days, they affect not only hearing but acoustic pollution also causes psychological problems.

Porta Vendore made an analysis on 23 August 2021 on 4 municipalities to understand the measures taken by these Municipalities for the noise situation, noting that the Municipalities of Korça and Shkodra had a Local Action Plan for noise control, while the Municipality of Tirana did not have developed one although a clear legal obligation since 2007 (Article 8 of Law no. 9774, dated 12.07.2007).

This is exactly what has worried civil society actors, being the organization Qëndresa Civare and activist Ogerta Ujkashi the first to undertake a civic initiative for this concern in 2018, managing to collect the signatures of 600 residents to send to the Municipal Council of Tirana, the request for the drafting by the Municipality of a plan of measures for noise control.

Article 20 of the Law on Local Self-Government of 2015 included for the first time 'The Right of Civic Initiative', an important legal instrument that enables citizen participation in local government decision-making. Exactly this legal space was used by the group of civil society activists, with the support of Leviz Albania, a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, to ask the Municipality to draft and approve the missing Local Plan for noise management.

But like any other initiative, this one encountered some difficulties in the face of institutional bureaucracies, however, the determination of the activists who did not give up their efforts and goal, even though months and years passed, made their work influence the reaction requested by the Municipality. Tirana.

"As the working group approached the citizens to become part of the initiative and to sign the request, it could be seen that their interest was increasing. Citizens began to tell their stories or complain about the area where they lived, showing solidarity with the initiative. "But this is a topic that is not given enough importance in everyday life, both by the responsible authorities and the citizens," said civil society activist Ogerta Ujkashi.

"At the moment of presenting the request for a plan of measures for noise, on November 5, 2018, the Municipal Council expressed its readiness to support the initiative at the moment that would pass to vote by them. We recorded the request, but for many reasons we do not know, the proposal was not immediately put to a vote by the council, and it took time for something to be achieved. About a year ago, the Municipality resumed the work for the local plan and they made us part of some consultations related to it ", Ujkashi tells the Local Gate.

Finally, in January 2021, the Municipality decided to open the tender for the drafting of the Local Noise Plan, with a limit fund of 2, 256,000 ALL, and in October 2021, the draft Action Plan for the required Noise Control was drafted. so strongly by civil society and environmental experts. This process was followed by two public hearings with residents and stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment, starting from November 1, 2021, where representatives of civil society were also invited.

"This story has two successes, one institutional and one related to the noise control plan. For the first time after the adoption of the law on local self-government, a civic initiative is drafted and signed by the residents of Tirana and addressed to the Municipal Council. Although the time has been long, it was achieved that this initiative is translated into a product by the Municipality and the Municipal Council, in a regulatory plan for noise in the capital. This was one of the initiatives that we did not stop with sending the request, but all the time the Municipality of Tirana and the Municipal Council have been held accountable for the progress of this project, lobbying directly with the members themselves ", said Xhemollari.

The citizens themselves who have signed the request as part of the civic initiative addressed to the Municipality of Tirana, are happy that they gave a contribution which will be valuable in fact not only to them, but also to citizens in other areas of the capital, children and younger generations. However, the challenge now remains at another level, as some kind of monitoring will be needed on the implementation of this ongoing local plan, so that everything does not remain only on paper.

 "The draft and the document have been approved, but we will continue to monitor it, if its implementation has an effect. The adoption of a law, a plan or a sub-legal act must be accompanied by an awareness campaign by the institution ", says Xhemollari, while Ujkashi emphasizes the civic awareness at the core of such initiatives. "It is very challenging because like everything else in Albania, the current mentality and lifestyle must be fought. "People are not used to acting differently and in this case a lot of work is needed to raise their awareness but also to put them in front of responsibility as citizens ", he concludes.

Referring to this, Porta Vendore requested through a request for information, filed on January 10, 2022 to the Municipality of Tirana, to know the status of this draft, or whether the implementation of this Action Plan for Noise has started and if so, what and how many administrative measures The municipal police themselves have taken action to address this problem, but until the publication of this article no official response has been received.

But meanwhile Porta Vendore also contacted the spokesperson of the Municipality of Tirana, Mr. Denis Dedej, who informed that after the public hearings, the elaborated draft is expected to pass to the Municipal Council for the final approval of the Action Plan for Noise Control in the Municipality of Tirana.

Meanwhile, only a few days ago, in order to facilitate the traffic during the day in the intersections, the Municipality of Tirana took measures not to allow the circulation of heavy tonnage vehicles for a certain time band. "During 09: 00-20: 00 vehicles over 3.5 tons will not be allowed to enter again in the medium and small ring road of the capital. For vehicles over 18 tons will not be allowed to enter inside the big ring of the capital with restriction from 06: 00-20: 00 ",said the Chief of Road Traffic in the Municipal Police, Gentian Vocaj. But apparently this, although it may have its positive effect on acoustic pollution during the day, has negatively impacted the level of noise at night in some areas of Tirana, who have begun to complain, as some media report, about noise during night of heavy tonnage vehicles directly affecting their sleep quality and well-being.

Local noise plan drafted by the Municipality of Tirana

The Municipality of Tirana already has the draft of its Local Action Plan for Noise Control 2021 - 2026 for the minimization of noise in the capital. Its final approval by the Council is expected to pave the way for the start of its implementation.

The Local Action Plan on Noise aims to analyze the situation in which the Municipality of Tirana finds itself regarding the implementation of the requirements of the law on noise protection, the assessment of community and business concerns related to noise. Through this analysis, the Plan aims to identify existing legal and organizational gaps in terms of noise management and, based on relevant best practices, to propose the necessary measures to be taken.

The measures that will be taken are numerous, starting from the recruitment of two experts for noise pollution, to the cooperation agreement between the State Police and the Central Inspectorates for coordination and support related to noise control in the Municipality of Tirana, review of licenses issued for use of the facility in the City of Tirana for noisy activities, indoor controls for noise levels and protection of public health from these noises (especially bars that use music at levels above the allowed norms).

The plan and measures should be monitored, reported annually and updated as needed every 2 years.

Source: www.portavendore.al