Queen's necklace: losing glitterMumbai:The Queen's Necklace - the long row of neon lights that has for decades adorned Mumbai's famed Marine Drive - is about to lose some of its glitter.The Bombay High Court has ordered that starting February 17 all neon lights and signs in the city will have to be switched off at 11 p.m. There is a brighter side to this though: energy conservation apart, the move comes at a time when people in the Marine Drive area are increasingly complaining of health disorders caused by the harmful effects of these lights.The high court order is a result of a petition filed by Ashwin Jalal, a resident of Chowpatty, seeking a ban on all neon signs in the city. Jalal had based his case on a study conducted by the International Institute of Sustainable Future, which concluded that sustained direct contact with neon rays could harm human beings. The constant flashing of these lights, it says, affect human beings as the light is received not only by the eyes but also by the brain. According to the study, patients who came under the effect of neon lights complained of sleepiness, fatigue, headaches and frequent mood changes. It concludes that "if one were to visit the places where the residents are disturbed by the lights, one would realise that it is insane to have such a medium of advertisement". .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Says Dr A.M. Shah, neurologist at Mumbai's Nair Hospital: "Changes in high illuminance could trigger epilepsy." With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation undecided about contesting the high court order, the clamp-down promises to take some shine off Mumbai's night life.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Mar 2, 1998--- ENDS ---
