On a visit to the JJ flyover junction last week, the noise pollution from the horning was measured at 95.3 dB. The voice was continuous and deafening.
The year 2022 could turn out to be a turning point when the honking noise eventually becomes the main enforcement drive of the Mumbai Police. Recently, the penalty for horning and noise pollution was doubled by notification of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules. The ‘Road Safety Month’ celebrated by the transport and police departments from mid-January to mid-February is an ideal launch-pad for strict enforcement.
Awaaz Foundation conducted the first training session on traffic noise for 80 traffic constables on 16th October, 2021. The 45-minute session focused on the sections of the law under which action can be taken against traffic noise and educating the traffic police about the reasons for taking action, including for people living in noise. Health includes the ill effects of noise on their own health. areas and even for drivers and pedestrians on the road.
The training session explained the need to test the hearing of people exposed to continuous traffic noise and encouraged the use of the HEREWHO app developed by the World Health Organisation, which allows police constables (and anyone else) to track their hearing on an Android phone. Will allow the hearing to be downloaded and tested. To determine the need for further testing in a hearing clinic or hospital.
In 2015, we conducted a random small survey of traffic policemen in partnership with the NGO Orade. We used a mobile van equipped with an audiometer which found that more than 70% of the constables had hearing loss.
In March 2021, the then Union Health Minister and ENT surgeon Dr Harsh Vardhan presided over the first World Hearing Day of the World Health Organisation. He said India was facing an “imminent mountain of hearing loss”. Figures released by WHO show that nearly a quarter of people who require “rehabilitation services for their hearing loss” are in India and surrounding areas.
Apart from hearing loss, noise pollution also leads to heart disease, high blood pressure and mental health ailments.
Mumbai is already one of the noisiest cities in the world and decibel levels consistently exceed area-wise noise regulations and WHO’s safe limit of 85dB.
Continuous blowing of horn and tampering with silencer not only affects health but also adversely affects road safety. When everyone blows the horn at the same time, the horn is not sounded if necessary as an emergency warning signal.
The traffic police have the right to take legal action. Awareness and enforcement campaigns are important along with training sessions. These should be run on a par with other police campaigns like drunken driving, seatbelt helmets, mobile phones and other campaigns that have proven their effectiveness and which will be the focus during the holiday season.
The first No Honoring Day in India was organized by Traffic Police and Awaaz Foundation in Mumbai. It was organized by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Harish Baijal and Joint Commissioner of Police Traffic Hemant Karkare. Hundreds of fines were collected that day alone.
After this, there have been many no-honing days in other Indian cities as well. But in the intervening years there have been no continuous campaigns or training sessions of police personnel on the implementation of the law.
The Maharashtra government declared 2018 a no honoring year and organized awareness programs including ‘Horn Vrat’ in association with Awaaz Foundation.
It is completely possible to drive in Mumbai without honking. My own family members don’t blow the horn. Our driver Sanjay Salunkhe has been driving without horn for more than 15 years. However, while the government has launched awareness campaigns, there is a lack of enforcement of noise regulations against horning. Motorcycles with tampered silencers also continue to break the rules of noise pollution fearlessly.
Disclaimer
The views expressed above are those of the author.
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