Order to bar VIP cars with hi-decibel horns

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rampant honking of horns by VIP vehicles and escort vehicles - which is becoming a menace for motorists and pedestrians - will soon end. 

The home department has decided to issue an order directing VIPs and escort vehicles in the state to remove high-decibel external air horns that cause high noise pollution,  which has grave health effects.  

This assurance was given to the Kerala chapter of Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI) , which is going to launch a campaign – National Initiative For Safe Sound (NISS) – along with Indian Medical Association (IMA).  

President of AOI (Kerala) Dr C John Panicker said that the association would  help the government introduce new rules to battle noise pollution in the state.

“We had discussion with the home minister and he was very pleased with our initiative and promised to take necessary steps to regulate unnecessary honking by government vehicles. He has promised to take step to remove external horns from government vehicles,” said Mr Panicker.

The association is also planning to moot strict restriction while issuing fitness certificate to vehicles. “Vehicles with noisy engines should not be given fitness certificate. We will be submitting a set of recommendations to the government to help make the state a better place,” said Mr Panicker.