Residents’ no to loudspeakers, pressure horns

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 8

The blaring loudspeakers at religious places, usage of pressures horns in buses and high volume DJs are creating noise pollution in the holy city. Residents have appealed to the state government to take a stern step to curb the menace on the lines of the Uttar Pradesh government which has ordered the removal of loudspeakers.

Following the Punjab government’s directions, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had already banned the manufacturing, purchasing, selling, fitting and usage of pressure horns to curb the rising noise pollution. As per Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act, stringent action has been ordered that includes imprisonment up to six years or a fine of Rs 5,000 per day.

However, people continue to flout the norms with impunity. “People are in a habit of using horns unnecessarily on roads even though they know there is no way to move further on road during traffic congestions,” said a government employee, Ashwani Arora.

Residents say the government should also suggest some measures for the noise pollution created by loudspeakers. Many religious shrines use loudspeakers at a high volume. “I understand that issuing a ban on loudspeaker usage at the religious shrines can trigger protest, but the authorities should make some guidelines to ensure that loudspeakers are not played at a high volume,” said a local resident, Ravneet Kaur.

Vetern BJP leader Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, in a statement issued here, appreciated the Uttar Pradesh government for ordering the removal of loudspeakers from religious shrines besides declaring it an offence to create any type of noise pollution. The decision was taken following the orders of the UP High Court. The people would have to take permission of the authorities concerned before playing loudspeakers and DJs beyond permissible limits and that too on some special occassions. She said that the Punjab government should also take measures in this connection to reduce the noise pollution.

Amrik Singh Powar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said the police permitted loudspeakers only on special occasions, otherwise its usage and playing DJs beyond permissible limit and timings is banned. He said if the police receive any complaint, appropriate action is taken.