Pollution. The word immediately brings to mind heavy vehicles belching black smoke, burning rubbish with the occasional tyre thrown in, dirty, smelly drains fouling up arterial waterways... Quite down the list figures that demon called noise. Where I live, it happens to be that part of the year when the local place of worship welcomes each morning with screaming loudspeakers blaring unmusical encomiums to the powers that be. Of course, what is musical is open to a lot of debate - ask any kid with MTV on high volume and the harrassed mother and you'll get the two ends of the spectrum. But, I'm sure, both of them will agree with my assessment of the musical nature of the pollutants that are poured into my ears every morning.

Imagine my mortification when I read a report that though there are stringent laws against the use of the devices that produce the daily cacophony, local authorities are refusing to take action. Their reason? They did not want to "hurt religious sentiments." Since when do "religious sentiments" justify crime? The report went on to quote various sections of the penal code which actually prescribe fines and imprisonment for the violation of certain rules on noise pollution. So much for that.

Cheers.