Up to Rs 7,000 fine for pressure horns and vehicles without silencers

Using pressure horns and removing silencers from cars and bikes will attract a combined fine of over R 7,000.

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday said those who contribute to noise pollution by these means will have to pay an environment compensation charge of R5,000.

A Delhi transport department lawyer said another fine of R2,000 challan can be imposed on offenders for altering the make of the vehicle as the registration is given on certain specifications, which does not include such changes.

“Pressure horns must come to an end. Noise pollution arising from horns in vehicles is a major issue. Undue and unhindered use of horns by drivers and pressure horns by trucks is a source of serious noise pollution in Delhi. It is adversely affecting the noise level in Delhi and even sound of vehicles, particularly DTC buses. All authorities need to pay attention to this aspect before noise levels go to the extent which is irreparable. People remove silencers from their high-end cars in the name of fashion,” NGT chairperson, Swatanter Kumar said.

The R 5,000 compensation will be collected by Delhi Police and should take action with more rigour, Kumar said

“We direct that in addition to other actions of challans and penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, offenders causing noise pollution would be liable to pay an environment compensation of Rs 5,000 per violation on the basis of the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle,” Kumar said.

The NGT had on Monday passed an order banning the use of pressure horns in Delhi.

It had constituted a committee comprising officials from the Environment Ministry, Delhi government, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the Delhi Development Authority to identify silence zones in the city and asked it to file a detailed affidavit with a list of such places to control the problem.

The green panel ordered the traffic police to deposit the environment compensation in a separate account.