NATION, CURRENT AFFAIRSSonu Nigam stokes row over AzaanDECCAN CHRONICLE. | NEHA L.M. TRIPATHI
Published Apr 18, 2017, 4:00 am IST
Updated Apr 18, 2017, 6:56 am IST
Soon after his tweet, anti-noise pollution acti-vist Sumaira Abdulali shot off a letter to the various officers.
 Sonu NigamMumbai: Singer Sonu Nigam on Monday took to Twitter complaining about noise pollution caused by Azaan (a call for daily prayers at stipulated times outside a mosque) near his house. He tweeted: “God bless everyone. I’m not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India.” He even termed it as gundagardi.


Soon after his tweet, anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali shot off a letter to the various officers including the state environment secretary, stating that noise pollution is not restricted to one religious place but all religious places. “While I do not support Mr Nigam’s comments as related to noise pollution from one single religion only. I want the government to enforce rules as per the HC orders,” Ms Abdulali said. “Police does not take action, stating that it is a sensitive issue," she added.

Tags: sonu nigam, azaan, sumaira abdulali
Location: India, Maharashtra, Mumbai (Bombay)


Copyright © 2015 - 2017 Deccan Chronicle. 
Designed, Developed & Maintained By Daksham

SCOOP WHOOP

Apr 18, 2017 at 19:45
An Anti-Noise Activist On Why We Can’t Dismiss Sonu Nigam’s Stand On Azaan Debate Entirely
​by Safwat Zargar
News > Originals

New Delhi: Nobody knows the anatomy of protest, better than 55-year-old Mumbai-based activist Sumaira Abdulali. For more than a decade, Sumaira has been fighting something that is all-pervasive in India - noise. 
But the subject of noise can be tricky if seen through the lens of a religious festivals and rituals. Something similar happened on Monday when famous Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam went on Twitter over his displeasure with Azaan (Muslim call to prayer) waking him up and the "forced religiousness."
God bless everyone. I'm not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 16, 2017And by the way Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam.. Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison?
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017I don't believe in any temple or gurudwara using electricity To wake up people who don't follow the religion . Why then..? Honest? True?
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017Gundagardi hai bus...
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017Not unsurprisingly, Nigam started trending on Twitter after a crowd of divided netizenry began debating the merits and demerits of his tweet. 
ScoopWhoop News spoke to award-winning anti-noise pollution campaigner Abdulali over phone to seek her understanding on the issue. She also shed light on what was wrong with Nigam's tweet, if not the message, he was intending to convey. 
Excerpts from the conversation 
SW: Sonu Nigam tweeted about his unhappiness for being woken up by the sound of Azaan in the morning? Why did it became a controversy? 
SA: Actually, the issue is non-controversial. The language used by Nigam turned it into a controversy. Way back in 2005, Supreme Court ordered that religion is not a reason to violate noise rules. In August last year, Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government to curb noise pollution.
Sonu Nigam's message is not wrong. I support his message but not the way it was delivered. 
SW: What's wrong with his communication? Did he fail to address it correctly? 
SA: People look up to Bollywood celebrities as leaders. They have to lead by example. The example is: if you are facing a problem with noise, you go to police, make a complaint, follow up and stop the noise. That's the approach. He could have taken that attitude rather than using words which we were meant to make people upset. The whole discussion then goes in a different direction with people asking whether it's a religious or a communal issue. It's not. Noise is a health issue. 

Representational Image | Source: PTI/File Photo Law has laid down norms for everybody and he should have conveyed it that way. It would have been absolutely clear. 
SW: The singer received a lot of flak for his Tweet. Many said he was "selective" in targeting a community. How should have people approached the issue? 
SA: Unfortunately, the tweet was worded in such a way that it called for these kind of responses. That's very unfortunate. We should all take it as a neutral issue and do everything to safeguard ourselves. 
It's not that you can't have Azaan without loudspeaker. So many options are there. Perhaps, they haven't thought of that. I think everybody needs to cool down and take it in a very neutral fashion. 
SW: Tell us about the noise scene in Mumbai? How bad is it? 
SA: In Mumbai, Churches used to have mid-night masses. But now they stopped doing it and finish the mass by 10 in the night. 

Representational Image | Source: ReutersDuring Hindu festivals, there used to be a lot of violations. But since the High Court last year order, there were attempts by the people to control noise levels. Muslim community also put up banners during the celebrations of Eid-Miladasking for lowering the decibels of noise. Compared to previous years, the noise was very less.
I am not saying all the noise vanished but there was considerable impact of the High court order. 
According to law, you can't use loudspeaker during the night whether is it for Azaan or anything else. So as per the law, Muslims too have to abstain from using loudspeakers.  
In Mumbai, I can say with confidence this has worked because there has been awareness and enforcement which have gone side by side and people have understood the message. 
SW: Has there been a resistance to your campaign against noise pollution? 
SA: Strangely enough, when I started campaigning against noise 10-15 years ago, there was resistance but people understood very quickly that what I was saying was not against them. Whenever there's a noise during festivals or events, I am standing alone with a meter and everybody knows what I am doing. But they are not attacking me. People often come to me and ask the reading and if it's affecting their health.

Representational Image | Source: Reuters/File Photo We are all in it together. So it doesn't matter whether I am a Hindu, or a Muslim or a Christain. It clearly doesn't matter. The point is it's a health issue. Rather than putting the burden on somebody else, we have to control our-self first. All of us. And make complaints about the other person as and when necessary.  
SW: Many argue it's easier to criticize and raise objections against minorities while as the same yardstick is not applied to majority? Your view? 
SA: I started this whole campaign with festival noise. Festival noise is the loudest and is much louder than Azaan. I can say this with confidence because I have measured both. The loudest Azaan I measured was 97 decibels, the loudest festival noise I measured was 120 dbs. But the noise which exceeded even the 140 dbs was of firecrackers. Since Bombay High Court's order last year, they have reduced. 
So those are the scales we are dealing with and that's why I started with the festivals. But you can't say it's against the Muslim community alone, from my side, I have been measuring all sorts of noise in temples, churches, gurudwaras, airports, railway stations and roads. Noise is noise to me and I wish everyone will take it like that.  (After Nigam's tweet on Monday, Abdulali sent a letter to the various top government officials arguing noise pollution is not restricted to any one particular religious place). 
SW: You are a Muslim and as you said, you have raised concerns of noise pollution irrespective of any particular religion. Do people bring that up while you're campaigning? 
SA: Many people have said many things, but again I don't take it to heart because I feel these are ways of getting out of it. It's not a religious issue. It's free world, they are entitled to their opinion.

Representational Image | Source: Reuters/File Photo People ultimately understand that whatever I am saying has nothing to do with religion. It's unfortunate that the religious aspect was put in the fore. We don't need to concentrate on religious aspect but public health and law. 
SW: Why are you still litigating against noise pollution? You said the court has already passed the orders? 
SA: Bombay High Court  passed a final order in August last year. But people are still violating the noise norms. So I have filed a contempt petition and that is very interesting because it's against Mumbai police for violating the noise rules themselves. 
It's a matter across the board. Everyone, including enforcement authority, wants an excuse to violate the rule while being very moralistic about somebody else violating the rule. 
The hearing in the petition is on Friday.

TAGS: Mumbai, Azaan, muslims, Sonu Nigam, Tweet, Sumaira Abdulali, Noise pollution, Festivals, Bombay High Court,

MUMBAI Denial of permission for religious services ticks off Christians Jyoti Shelar 
APRIL 12, 2017 00:21 IST 
UPDATED: APRIL 12, 2017 07:19 IST 
​​Christians take out a march on Palm Sunday in Matunga.   Police take no chances because as per noise pollution rules, grounds attached to church-run schools fall in silent zones and hence no loudspeakers Mumbai: Christians in the city are miffed with the Mumbai Police for refusing them permission to gather for the Holy Week religious services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the following Saturday, to call in the Easter celebrations. Many churches who organise the services in open grounds, which are attached to church-run schools, fall in silent zones, and have thus been denied permission as the services will involve use of loudspeakers.
“Several churches in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai have informed us that they have not been given the written permission to hold the services. Some police stations have said that they will not give anything in writing and will only act if someone complains,” said Fr Nigel Barrett, spokesperson of Archdiocese of Bombay, adding that the police have cited the noise pollution rules. “But it is unfair because the schools will be on holiday.” 
While smaller parishes hold the services within the church, larger parishes that have grounds attached prefer to have large gatherings with loudspeakers so that everyone can hear. “These large gatherings have over 2,000 people in attendance. How can one hear without a loudspeaker?” asked Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation that has written to the police. “The rules only prohibit use of loudspeakers between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Our services get concluded well before 10 p.m. Therefore, there is no chance of any breach if we get the written permission.” 
With the recent action by the Mumbai High Court pulling up government officials for their failure to implement the noise pollution rules, the police don’t want to take any chances. If the permissions don’t come by Wednesday, the churches have no choice but to shift the services indoors. 
Sacred Heart Church in Vashi has already issued a statement for its parishioners. “More than 2,000 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church, Vashi, are likely to be scattered outside the church when they attend the prayer services during the Holy Week on Maundy (Holy) Thursday, Good Friday, and for the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening. This will be the inevitable but heart-breaking fallout of the refusal by the Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate to grant permission to the church to conduct its observances at the quadrangle of Sacred Heart High School as has been the custom for the past 40 years,” read the statement, adding that the church can accommodate only about 600 people. Parish priest Fr Gerald Fernandes said, “The parishioners are sorely disappointed.”
According to Fr Ronald Tevar, assistant priest at St Pius X church in Mulund, they are considering going ahead with the services but with a controlled decibel level. “We have not been given permission by the Mulund police. But we are thinking of keeping the sound low and continuing with the event.” 
Permissible limit
Activist Sumaira Abdulali, who is the convener of Awaaz Foundation, said, “As per the recent High Court order, the decibel level in silent zones should not cross 50. But with the use of traditional loudspeakers, that is not possible. Therefore, one can opt for distributed sound systems for such gatherings to ensure the decibel level is within the permissible limit.”
Mumbai Police PRO Ashok Dudhe, however, refused the allegations made by the community members. “We had received some messages of permission being denied in a few churches. I personally called and checked the police stations and learnt that no one was denied permission.”

×

Doctors want April 26 to be no-honking day in India
Dangers of noise pollution range from high blood pressure and irritability, to hearing-related issues (Thinkstock)
 VIRAT A SINGH | Thu, 30 Mar 2017-07:45am , Mumbai , DNA
​Physicians hope the initiative will raise awareness on the health hazards of noise pollution 
Doctors who have been warning you of the perils of noise pollution, a major trigger for several ailments including cardiac issues, now intend to ensure that all of India observes a no-honking day on April 26.
According to Kerala-based ENT surgeon Dr C John Panicker, National Convenor of National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), about 200 representatives of Indian Medical Association (IMA) from across India discussed the serious implications of rising pollution in a meeting recently held in Delhi. During the meeting, doctors took the decision to ask the country to observe International Noise Awareness Day on April 26 as a no-honking day.
“The Kerala government has already made this a state initiative. Actor Mohanlal has agreed to be the brand ambassador. We will be recording a message from him to dissuade people from senseless honking and encourage participation on the No-Honking Day,” said Panicker. IMA members in Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karanataka, and some other states are planning various events to promote minimum use of honking, he told DNA.
According to Panicker, NISS and IMA members have been working together on the issue for a while. “The medical fraternity is best equipped to create awareness among patients on the serious health hazards of noise pollution. Noise pollution is the number one reason for permanent hearing loss and health complications such as heart-related ailments, stress, and acidity,” he explained.
There is an urgent need to curb noise pollution from traffic. Some of the horns produce sound between 100 to 120 decibels (dB). Continuous exposure to such high levels of noise is extremely harmful, Dr Panicker said.
Mumbai-based anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali will be coordinating with IMA representatives from Maharashtra and the Mumbai Traffic Police head to make the campaign a success in the city.
Abdulali, who is the founder of Awaaz Foundation, said that the Central Government should step in and ensure that all Indian states observe April 26 as No Honking Day, with special focus on cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Lucknow, and Hyderabad that top the list of India’s noisiest cities.
“Noise pollution can be blamed for everything from irritability to high blood pressure. There is a rise in the number of people coming to us with hearing-related issues. Studies have shown that if a person is exposed to noise of above 80 decibels for eight hours a day for eight years, s/he can suffer permanent deafness,” said Dr MV Jagade, ENT surgeon at JJ hospital, who has also been working on creating awareness on the health implications of noise pollution.


©2017 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.

Doctors want April 26 to be no-honking day in India
Dangers of noise pollution range from high blood pressure and irritability, to hearing-related issues 
 VIRAT A SINGH | Thu, 30 Mar 2017-07:45am , Mumbai , DNA
​Physicians hope the initiative will raise awareness on the health hazards of noise pollution 
Doctors who have been warning you of the perils of noise pollution, a major trigger for several ailments including cardiac issues, now intend to ensure that all of India observes a no-honking day on April 26.
According to Kerala-based ENT surgeon Dr C John Panicker, National Convenor of National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), about 200 representatives of Indian Medical Association (IMA) from across India discussed the serious implications of rising pollution in a meeting recently held in Delhi. During the meeting, doctors took the decision to ask the country to observe International Noise Awareness Day on April 26 as a no-honking day.
“The Kerala government has already made this a state initiative. Actor Mohanlal has agreed to be the brand ambassador. We will be recording a message from him to dissuade people from senseless honking and encourage participation on the No-Honking Day,” said Panicker. IMA members in Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karanataka, and some other states are planning various events to promote minimum use of honking, he told DNA.
According to Panicker, NISS and IMA members have been working together on the issue for a while. “The medical fraternity is best equipped to create awareness among patients on the serious health hazards of noise pollution. Noise pollution is the number one reason for permanent hearing loss and health complications such as heart-related ailments, stress, and acidity,” he explained.
There is an urgent need to curb noise pollution from traffic. Some of the horns produce sound between 100 to 120 decibels (dB). Continuous exposure to such high levels of noise is extremely harmful, Dr Panicker said.
Mumbai-based anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali will be coordinating with IMA representatives from Maharashtra and the Mumbai Traffic Police head to make the campaign a success in the city.
Abdulali, who is the founder of Awaaz Foundation, said that the Central Government should step in and ensure that all Indian states observe April 26 as No Honking Day, with special focus on cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Lucknow, and Hyderabad that top the list of India’s noisiest cities.
“Noise pollution can be blamed for everything from irritability to high blood pressure. There is a rise in the number of people coming to us with hearing-related issues. Studies have shown that if a person is exposed to noise of above 80 decibels for eight hours a day for eight years, s/he can suffer permanent deafness,” said Dr MV Jagade, ENT surgeon at JJ hospital, who has also been working on creating awareness on the health implications of noise pollution.



©2017 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.

•  e-paper

CR’s new trains have made your commute noisier: StudyReport by Awaaz Foundation says loudspeakers which make announcements about each station are to blame
​MUMBAI Updated: Mar 23, 2017 23:20 IST
Snehal Fernandes 
Hindustan Times
The preliminary report found that many of the announcements were non-essential and frequent, with loudspeakers in use even when the train had reached the platform.(HT File Photo)
New local trains have made your daily commute noisier. Preliminary findings by non-government organisation Awaaz Foundation found that noise levels inside new Central Railway trains, which have loudspeakers, almost matched those of the old trains, inside which announcements were not made.
When the loudspeakers on new trains, which ply between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Sewri, made announcements about upcoming stations in English, Hindi and Marathi, noise levels reached 88.8 decibels (dB). Noise levels in old trains were anywhere between 82dB and 88.4dB. The new trains have lower background noise levels, which include commuters talking and movement of trains. This ranges from 72.8dB to 74.2dB. The screeching sound a train makes when it breaks makes the maximum noise(100.6dB).
The preliminary report found that many of the announcements were non-essential and frequent, with loudspeakers in use even when the train had reached the platform. “Commuting is a large part of people’s lives, one they spend hours on. There is a restriction on how much noise people should be exposed to for health reasons. While there are a number of other problems such as overcrowding, extra noise definitely adds to commuters’ stress,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. 
Studies have shown that diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, hearing loss and mental illness are all impacts of noise pollution. High noise levels also cause sleep disturbances and adversely affect work productivity.
“Why do we need loudspeakers in the train? A silent airport made fliers’ lives so much better,” said Abdulali. “About 90% of commuters are regulars who do not need to be told which station is coming up. For those who don’t, such as foreigners, commuters are very helpful.”
Chief public relations officer for Central Railway, Narendra Patil, called the preliminary findings “far-fetched”. “There are many commuters who are not regulars. The announcements alert them about upcoming stations and are much-appreciated . Noise levels from loudspeaker announcements are lower than noise levels of commuters talking or other trains passing by,” he said.
Abdulali plans to write to railway minister Suresh Prabhu. “Railways need to look at solutions to reduce overall noise. A simple method would be to stop unnecessary additional noise,” said Abdulali. “Even if the announcements are not that loud, they are still disturbing as they are artificial sounds. The yelling of commuters is still a natural sound,” she said.
Last year, Awaaz Foundation had recorded noise levels in trains on the Western Railway between Churchgate and Virar. It found an increase when announcements were made. Noise levels ranged from 66dB to 75dB when the train was stationary, and reached 90 dB when crossing other trains at a high speed. 
With commuters exposed to noise levels for approximately three hours during their daily commute, the report read, “Noise from announcements is louder when moving towards north Mumbai. Long distance trains cross North Mumbai locations at a high speed, often honking continuously at decibel levels nearing 100 dB.”


Copyright © HT Media Limited All rights reserved.

CR’s new trains have made your commute noisier: Study
Report by Awaaz Foundation says loudspeakers which make announcements about each station are to blameMUMBAI Updated: Mar 23, 2017 23:20 IST
Snehal Fernandes 
Hindustan Times
The preliminary report found that many of the announcements were non-essential and frequent, with loudspeakers in use even when the train had reached the platform.(HT File Photo)
New local trains have made your daily commute noisier. Preliminary findings by non-government organisation Awaaz Foundation found that noise levels inside new Central Railway trains, which have loudspeakers, almost matched those of the old trains, inside which announcements were not made.
When the loudspeakers on new trains, which ply between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Sewri, made announcements about upcoming stations in English, Hindi and Marathi, noise levels reached 88.8 decibels (dB). Noise levels in old trains were anywhere between 82dB and 88.4dB. The new trains have lower background noise levels, which include commuters talking and movement of trains. This ranges from 72.8dB to 74.2dB. The screeching sound a train makes when it breaks makes the maximum noise(100.6dB).
The preliminary report found that many of the announcements were non-essential and frequent, with loudspeakers in use even when the train had reached the platform. “Commuting is a large part of people’s lives, one they spend hours on. There is a restriction on how much noise people should be exposed to for health reasons. While there are a number of other problems such as overcrowding, extra noise definitely adds to commuters’ stress,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. 
Studies have shown that diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, hearing loss and mental illness are all impacts of noise pollution. High noise levels also cause sleep disturbances and adversely affect work productivity.
“Why do we need loudspeakers in the train? A silent airport made fliers’ lives so much better,” said Abdulali. “About 90% of commuters are regulars who do not need to be told which station is coming up. For those who don’t, such as foreigners, commuters are very helpful.”
Chief public relations officer for Central Railway, Narendra Patil, called the preliminary findings “far-fetched”. “There are many commuters who are not regulars. The announcements alert them about upcoming stations and are much-appreciated . Noise levels from loudspeaker announcements are lower than noise levels of commuters talking or other trains passing by,” he said.
Abdulali plans to write to railway minister Suresh Prabhu. “Railways need to look at solutions to reduce overall noise. A simple method would be to stop unnecessary additional noise,” said Abdulali. “Even if the announcements are not that loud, they are still disturbing as they are artificial sounds. The yelling of commuters is still a natural sound,” she said.
Last year, Awaaz Foundation had recorded noise levels in trains on the Western Railway between Churchgate and Virar. It found an increase when announcements were made. Noise levels ranged from 66dB to 75dB when the train was stationary, and reached 90 dB when crossing other trains at a high speed. 
With commuters exposed to noise levels for approximately three hours during their daily commute, the report read, “Noise from announcements is louder when moving towards north Mumbai. Long distance trains cross North Mumbai locations at a high speed, often honking continuously at decibel levels nearing 100 dB.”


Copyright © HT Media Limited All rights reserved.

IMA backs Safe Sound Zones, Health Impact studies in Industrial Cities
​March 15, 2017


New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has asked the government to make Health Impact Assessment mandatory for giving clearance to new industrial and smart cities coming up across India under the ambitious infrastructure projects.
A national conference on Safe Sound Initiative of the IMA, which represents more than 2 lakh doctors, also strongly recommended creation of Safe Sound Zones in these cities in view of the alarming increase in physical and mental health issues, especially among youngsters, due to overexposure to high decibel sounds.
Dr R N Tandon, Honorary Secretary General, IMA, announced that a delegation of medical experts will soon meet the government to put forward their suggestions on tackling noise pollution in industrial clusters and smart cities.
He was speaking at the second national conference on the Safe Sound Initiative where around 80 state representatives of the IMA discussed strategies to roll out the campaign at the state levels.
The conference expressed concern over the increase in incidence of tinnitus (humming sound in the ears) among young people because of prolonged use of gadgets like earphones, headphones and mobile phones, increasing risk of thermal and high-frequency hearing loss.
“Noise is the number one reason for permanent deafness. It causes mental health issues, aggravates conditions such as allergies and asthma, even autoimmune diseases and deadly lifestyle illnesses such as diabetes, cardiac problems and cancer,” says Dr. C John Panicker, an ENT Surgeon and National Coordinator of the IMA Safe Sound Initiative. “The unfortunate part is that there is very little awareness currently about how deadly noise pollution can be, even among doctors.”
Padma Shri Dr K K Aggarwal, National President of IMA, called for a graded plan of action to tackle noise. There are already guidelines on permissible noise levels: for eg. 70-75db in Industrial Zones, 60-65db in commercial, 45-55db in Residential and 40-50 db in Silent Zones that must exist 100 metres around schools. He said regulations were needed to specify what action can be taken when the sound levels exceed the safety norms.
Justice Anil R Dave, former justice of the Supreme Court, who inaugurated the conference, said that the courts in India have, on several occasions, intervened to set limits on noise, but these often falter at the implementation stage owing to several reasons, principally sensitivity around religious issues.
He said the noise pollution also needs to be tackled as a social problem and children need to be educated early on to “hate noise and enjoy silence”.
Other speakers at the conference included former IMA President Dr Marthanda Pillai; NISS Convenor Dr C N Raja; Dr. Ajay Lekhi, Organising Chairman; Dr Rajiv Sood of RML Hospital; Dr Girish Tyagi, Registrar, Delhi Medical Council; Dr V D Pradeep Kumar and Ms Sumaira Abdulali of the Awaaz Foundation Mumbai, which is partnering the IMA on the Safe Sound.

Shrill vehicle horn? Now, police can penalize youTNN | Feb 21, 2017, 06.26 AM IST
(Representative image)
MUMBAI: To curb noise pollution in cities, the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) has directed traffic police in nine cities--including Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai--to fine vehicle owners who use power, pressure and musical horns and confiscate them. While city activists welcomed the move, they said the watchdog should also have chalked out an action plan against other sources of noise pollution.

Adirective by the CPCB states that authorities shall ensure that drivers not sound the horn needlessly and not fit or use any horns that give a harsh, shrill, loud or alarming noise.

Other cities to which this applies include Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Lucknow.

The CPCB has said: "No vehicle shall be permitted to have a musical horn. All vehicles, buses, trucks and cars shall not be fitted with power, pressure or musical horns. Such vehicles shall be challaned and such horns shall be got removed by enforcement officer."

However, anti-noise crusaders feel that the CPCB should have created an action plan for other sources like construction activity too. "The action is suggested, assuming that vehicles are the source of noise pollution but there is no mention of confiscating crackers or construction machinery which is also a great source of noise pollution," said Sumaira Abdulali, convener of the Awaaz Foundation, an NGO.

CPCB has directed that a control room be set up for public grievances.