No-Horn Day, coinciding with International Noise Pollution Awareness Day, was observed in the city on Wednesday.
P. Vijayan, Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam range, inaugurated the programme at a fuel station at Edappally.
The event, aimed at sensitising the public to curb noise pollution and vehicle users to only blow horn when utmost necessary, was held by the State government in association with the Kochi chapter of the Indian Medical Association, Young Indians, and the SCMS group of educational institutions.
“While we are aware of the issue of noise pollution we are yet to wake up to its calamitous severity. There should be a time-bound project, to be implemented jointly with residents’ associations and social organisations, to turn the city into a no-horn zone,” Mr. Vijayan said. IMA Kochi chapter president M. Narayanan said connoisseurs of celebratory fireworks and percussions ensembles would do well to use protective gear to save their auditory faculty.
Tuesday’s was the second ‘No Horn Day’ in the city, the first being the one held on December 1 last year. The Motor Vehicles Department held a drive in connection with the day, and stopped vehicles on April 24 and 25 that sounded horns that were louder than the stipulated decibel range.
“Though there was no way we could determine whether there was actual reduction in sound pollution on No Horn Day, it served as an opportunity to create awareness,” Sadiq Ali, RTO, said. Stickers were pasted on cars that passed by and students from SCMS went around campaigning for the cause, requesting drivers not to honk unless necessary.
