The Environmental Management Authority's (EMA) police unit, together with the Woodbrook police and the Port of Spain City Police, has said it had clamped down on the ongoing noise issue on Ariapita Avenue, Port of Spain, early yesterday.

At around 12.50 a.m., the Environmental Police Unit (EPU) said it took several sound pressure level readings for three bars along the Avenue.

"All (the) establishments were in breach of the Noise Pollution Control Rules (NPCR), with readings well above 80 decibels. According to the NPCR, prescribed standards for a general area should not exceed 65 decibels," the EMA stated.

The EPU then contacted the Woodbrook police who, along with the city police, moved in and ordered the said establishments to turn off the music. Subsequently, the establishments closed their operations for the night, the EMA said.

The EPU said approximately 300 people were on the outskirts of one bar, occupying the roadway and pavement, obstructing the free flow of traffic in the area.

In addition to breaching the prescribed noise levels, another bar had barriers on the pavement, thus diverting the flow of pedestrian traffic onto the roadway.

EMA's managing director/CEO Dr Joth Singh said, "This has been an unrelenting issue in the area. It was necessary for the EPU to take this direct approach as several attempts have resulted in these establishments not complying with the law.

"These establishments have been asked on many occasions by the EPU to keep their noise levels within the standards and to face their music boxes inside, and they have not complied.

"The complaints continue to come in from the area as well, and this swift action was needed."

He added, "The EMA intends to maintain this collaborative approach with the police to ensure that the law is upheld."