The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday declared South Delhi's Panchsheel Park a “no-honking zone.”
A bench headed by Justice P. Jyothimani directed the traffic police to see that no vehicles are parked on roadsides in the area. It also limited the speed in the area to 30km per hour.
Anyone found violating the orders would be liable to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000 under the Polluter Pays Principle, the NGT ordered.
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The order of the court came on a petition filed by Omesh Saigal, a resident of Panchsheel Park and also a former Chief Secretary of Delhi government.
The Tribunal has also directed that a meeting be convened under the chair of Chief Secretary, Delhi government and all other parties concerned on the issue.
Mr. Saigal had alleged that noise pollution generated due to heavy traffic on the Outer Ring Road stretch running along Panchsheel Park and inside the colony is affecting the health of people living in the area.
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His petition seeks directions to the government or civic bodies to erect screens/ walls to block the noise along both sides of the road.
However, the Delhi government's counsel Narender Pal Singh was of the view that erecting high walls on both sides of the road to block noise will have adverse impact on the aesthetics, vision and traffic.
Mr. Saigal has alleged that the government has failed to take measures for reducing the noise and ensuring that the sound levels do not exceed the ambient air quality standards specified under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee had earlier submitted before the tribunal that the noise level at Panchsheel Park were beyond the permissible limits.
As per the ambient air quality standard in respect of noise, as mentioned in the Rules, level of noise in residential area should not exceed 55 decibels in day time and 45 decibels during night time.