Forum: Loud noise affects animals and plant life too
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I refer to the article “‘It’s very noisy’: Some Punggol residents affected by noise from Cross Island Line work” (Aug 13). Although I am glad that residents’ concerns are being covered in the newspapers, I believe we have left out an important stakeholder in this discussion: our environment.
If residents living on higher floors (with the noise partially drowned out) are so disturbed by the construction noise, it must be even worse for wildlife at ground level. Even plants will be negatively affected.
Loud noise prevents animals from communicating through calls and sounds and this changes their behaviour. It can cause animals to leave or avoid their natural habitats, forcing them into unfamiliar areas. It can also cause pollinators to avoid noisy areas, resulting in plants being unable to reproduce. These impacts are huge, given that Punggol is surrounded by nature areas.
I hope the authorities will also be aware of the environment as a “silent stakeholder”. After all, our plants and wildlife do not have the benefit of free noise blankets and noise-cancelling earbuds.
Evans Woo, 15
Secondary 3
