The Lagos State Government (LASG) has directed operators of hotels, leisure homes and religious centres shut down due to noise pollution to obtain guarantee from Residents Associations before they can be reopened.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, gave the directive in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to him, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has been mandated to apply the full weight of the law in this wise.
Bello said that on a continuous basis, LASEPA officials would be going round such centres/homes and anyone found to have exceeded the allowed level of sound output would be closed down and the appropriate sanctions applied.
The commissioner noted that that his office had been inundated with complaints and petitions from many residents and residents’ associations about the obnoxious noise levels of many of the leisure centres and religious homes.
“It was also discovered that many of such leisure centres/religious homes, night clubs, after being reopened by the state government usually go back to the same noise pollution for which they were earlier axed.
“This action prompted the issue of involving the residents’ associations.
“The affected leisure centres should procure sound-proof equipments which would lessen the decibel of sound that goes out when such leisure or religious homes are engaging in business, ‘’ Bello said.
He, however, said that the state government would not allow any business concern to put the healthy well-being of the residents at peril, simply because it wanted to operate or be in business. (NAN)