Unnecessary brilliance: The dangers of underestimating light pollution

Billboards flood the Western Express Highway with light on the night of October 7. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Mumbai is often hailed as the city that never sleeps, and it shares a common downside with many other metropolises-the unavoidable issue of light pollution. Its sources are obtrusive signboards, overly bright offices as well as residential and commercial establishments, including medical stores. While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and traffic police follow a Bombay High Court order that restricts illuminated or digital hoardings/billboards, there is no policy to restrict the bright lights/glare of street beautification projects and displays of commercial establishments. However, the civic body promises action if "genuine" complaints are made by residents.

Not so harmless

"Light pollution often doesn't raise the same level of concern as air or water pollution, which is why there are generally no guidelines or safety standards in place in many parts of the world. In some cases, light pollution is mistakenly perceived as harmless, and in some instances, desirable. It's essential to acknowledge that light pollution can have adverse consequences, including health issues such as retinal damage and disruption of sleep patterns. Additionally, excessive light can lead to various psychological effects. Its impact on nature is profound, as it can disrupt animal navigation at night and induce changes in their natural behaviour patterns," said a retired BMC official.

LED hoardings, which are considerably brighter than conventionally lit billboards, illuminate the Vashi Highway. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

He added, "Sadly unless there are complaints, no action is taken on these issues. Numerous government agencies utilise digital billboards and bus stops for promotional and advertising purposes and even for beautification without realising that they are contributing to light pollution. Many shops employ bright green, red, and even neon lights for their displays and indicators. Several medical and chemist stores keep their digital and illuminated display boards on throughout the night, irrespective of whether they operate as 24-hour establishments. These businesses are often situated right in the heart of residential areas, and their intense lighting intrudes into people's homes. The lack of awareness surrounding this issue allows this nuisance to persist and worsen day by day."

Threat to wildlife

Electronic billboards, also referred to as electronic messaging centres (EMCs), can be up to ten times brighter at night compared to conventionally illuminated billboards. The nature of LEDs used in EMCs makes them challenging to shield effectively. The light emitted by EMCs has the potential to create glare and serve as a hazardous distraction to drivers. In certain situations, EMC-generated light can be visible over considerable distances and could impact the breeding, foraging and orientation behaviours of nocturnal wildlife.

Illuminating atlas

A 2016 study revealed that over 80 per cent of the global population resides in areas affected by excessive light pollution. The World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness, developed through the efforts of the US-based Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute and other organisations, was published in the journal Science Advances. It provides a predictive depiction of densely populated and highly developed regions around the world, bathed in artificial light. Notably, Europe, the US, most of India, eastern China, Japan, and Southeast Asia are predominantly illuminated during the night. Within India, the brightest areas are concentrated in the western regions of the Indo-Gangetic plains and major metropolitan centres. The study also issued a warning that the transition to LED technology has the potential to increase light pollution to two or three times its current levels.

BMC's new hoarding policy

Initially, digital hoardings were planned only for highways, but the civic body is allowed to set them up across the city. Under its new hoarding policy, non-digital/non-illuminated hoardings can be converted to digital and illuminated ones. The civic body had, last year, drastically reduced the charges for installing digital/illuminated hoardings. Earlier, it used to charge Rs 2,57,000 for digital hoarding and Rs 2 lakh for non-digital ones. Now, the charge for putting up the former will also be Rs 2 lakh. Advertising billboards and hoardings can be seen across arterial roads and highways now. They are set up by private advertising agencies that pay convenience fees to the BMC.

The recent developments led to at least 50 of the over 1,000 non-digital hoardings in the city being converted into digital/illuminated ones until June 2023. The number might have increased further, sources said. There were only 10 digital hoardings in the city until November 2022. As per the policy, "Policy promoting digital advertising has been introduced. All malls, multiplexes, shopping complexes, commercial buildings and petrol pumps can apply for digital LED advertisements, fees for which will be at par with non-digital advertisements. All existing hoardings on terraces with a less than 100-metre distance between two hoardings can apply for converting their existing structures to digital hoarding structures."

It also states that the advertiser has to obtain a no-objection certificate from the joint commissioner of police (traffic) for illuminated or digital hoardings. This NOC will be deemed valid until there is any change in lateral size, lowering of height or change in position of the hoarding or any structural change. The policy mandates that flickering advertisements are not permitted. Besides, it has stated that as per the high court's directives, the illumination of digital displays shall be switched off at 11 pm. The permission for digital displays will be revoked if a genuine complaint is received from
nearby residents.

Activist Speak

B N Kumar, the director of NGO NatConnect Foundation, said, "LED hoardings on roads increase the risk and possibility of accidents. These are also disastrous to the environment. Display boards are too bright. In many places the visuals change with a flash of light, hence they are disturbing and distracting. Sudden flicks can blind drivers and lead to accidents. It also causes light pollution and disrupts natural patterns of wildlife, contributes to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and importantly disrupts human sleep. The government and local civic bodies have enough points to come up with a policy to regulate these hoardings and outdoor lighting."

The NGO, along with the organisations Watchdog Foundation and Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, has written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, drawing his attention to the issue of light pollution caused by bright outdoor lightings and LED hoardings. The NGOs have sought his intervention and even started a campaign on social media to create public awareness about this. When contacted, a BMC official said, "There have been no such instances where LED screen hoardings on roads led to accidents; no such case has come to us. However, since the matter has come up we will be looking into all aspects of the issue and act in the public interest."

Action is taken sometimes

Even in the absence of laws, the police and BMC have tried to enforce some rules. In the first such case, in 2016, acting on the complaint of Nilesh Desai, a Kalbadevi resident, the civic body directed a hospital and gymkhanas along Marine Drive to switch off high-intensity floodlights and billboards after 11 pm. This is as per the high court's order. In January 2022, following a complaint and after being reported by a news portal, a digital hoarding on the Western Express Highway at the pump house subway junction in Andheri East, the BMC's K East ward took action. The ward office wrote to the advertisers and directed them to reduce the brightness of the hoarding.