Vehicles with multi-tone horns and sirens are found to be violating noise pollution rules
Premal Balan / Ahmedabad
The National Green Tribunal ( NGT) has directed the Union government to notify standards for sirens and multi-tone horns used by vehicles including those of Government, police or ambulance within three months.
The directions were issued by principal bench of Justice A S Naidu and G K Pandey who felt an urgent need to have source specific noise standards, as there were no standards specified by the Union government with regard to use of horns and sirens in ambulances, government and police vehicles.
The bench was hearing an application filed by a senior citizen Dileep B Nevatia residing on the Worli Sea Face road in Mumbai. Nevatia had alleged there was gross violation of the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules 2000 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 by vehicles using multi-tone horns and sirens.
He had claimed that the vehicles fitted with multi-tone horns were emitting sounds in far excess of the levels prescribed and were causing noise pollution.
The applicant had demanded specifying standards for sirens and multi-tone horns wanted ban on vehicles that violate those stipulated standards.
"The controversy before us is pertaining to vehicular noise caused by unrestricted use of sirens and multi-tone horns having un-specified standards, being fitted in the ambulances, Government and police vehicles," the bench observed in its order of last week.
"Needless to say that there is urgent requirement to evolve source specific (noise) standards for sirens and multi-tone vehicles, constant use of sirens and multi-tone horns much above noise standard, causes immense hardship to common people and also poses serious affects on human health," it further observed.
So far no source specific standards have been evolved or specified for sirens and multi-tone horns by the Union Government.
"In order to control ambient noise pollution, it is essential to control emanating noise at the source itself for which source specific standards are required to be formulated. Source specific standards have already been evolved by the MoEF and CPCB for the D.G. Sets, Industries, etc. However, so far no source specific standards have been evolved or specified for sirens and multi-tone horns by the Union Government," the bench observed.
Hence it issued direction for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, "to notify the standards for sirens and multi-tone horns used by different vehicles either under Government duty or otherwise within a period of 3 months."
Based on which, the Maharashtra government will have to issue specific notifications. The NGT also directed Maharashtra police to ensure that no private vehicle be allowed to use sirens or multi-tone horns in residential and silent zones and in the vicinity of educational institutions, hospitals and other sensitive areas and also during night except emergencies and under exceptional circumstances.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ngt-asks-centre-to-fix-noise-norms-for-public-vehicles/202774/on
Premal Balan / Ahmedabad
The National Green Tribunal ( NGT) has directed the Union government to notify standards for sirens and multi-tone horns used by vehicles including those of Government, police or ambulance within three months.
The directions were issued by principal bench of Justice A S Naidu and G K Pandey who felt an urgent need to have source specific noise standards, as there were no standards specified by the Union government with regard to use of horns and sirens in ambulances, government and police vehicles.
The bench was hearing an application filed by a senior citizen Dileep B Nevatia residing on the Worli Sea Face road in Mumbai. Nevatia had alleged there was gross violation of the Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules 2000 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 by vehicles using multi-tone horns and sirens.
He had claimed that the vehicles fitted with multi-tone horns were emitting sounds in far excess of the levels prescribed and were causing noise pollution.
The applicant had demanded specifying standards for sirens and multi-tone horns wanted ban on vehicles that violate those stipulated standards.
"The controversy before us is pertaining to vehicular noise caused by unrestricted use of sirens and multi-tone horns having un-specified standards, being fitted in the ambulances, Government and police vehicles," the bench observed in its order of last week.
"Needless to say that there is urgent requirement to evolve source specific (noise) standards for sirens and multi-tone vehicles, constant use of sirens and multi-tone horns much above noise standard, causes immense hardship to common people and also poses serious affects on human health," it further observed.
So far no source specific standards have been evolved or specified for sirens and multi-tone horns by the Union Government.
"In order to control ambient noise pollution, it is essential to control emanating noise at the source itself for which source specific standards are required to be formulated. Source specific standards have already been evolved by the MoEF and CPCB for the D.G. Sets, Industries, etc. However, so far no source specific standards have been evolved or specified for sirens and multi-tone horns by the Union Government," the bench observed.
Hence it issued direction for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, "to notify the standards for sirens and multi-tone horns used by different vehicles either under Government duty or otherwise within a period of 3 months."
Based on which, the Maharashtra government will have to issue specific notifications. The NGT also directed Maharashtra police to ensure that no private vehicle be allowed to use sirens or multi-tone horns in residential and silent zones and in the vicinity of educational institutions, hospitals and other sensitive areas and also during night except emergencies and under exceptional circumstances.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ngt-asks-centre-to-fix-noise-norms-for-public-vehicles/202774/on
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