Panaji:
The Environment Ministry has asked Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to ensure removal of all multi-toned horns from vehicles in the state within 30 days.
The instructions were given through a circular which has quoted that Central Motor Vehicle Act and Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 does not permit installing of such horns on the vehicles.
"We have received the circular and now we will have to act in coordination with the State Transport Department," said GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha.
The ministry has suggested that the public transport buses can use air horns on lines with the one used by Mumbai-based BEST services.
The western state of Goa has around 10.83 lakh vehicles on its roads and rough estimate revealed that of them, 40 per cent are with multi-toned horns fitted on them.
This, Mr Noronha said, leads to acute noise pollution. The MOEF directions come in the wake of recent amendment to Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 which has mandated that State Pollution Control Board will be responsible to take action against such violations.
The Board has been asked to issue directions to the State Transport Department to ban and prohibit manufacture and usage of pressure horns and multi-tones horns, failing which necessary action would be initiated against the automobile manufactures under the Air act and Environment (protection) Rules.
"GSPCB to issue directions under the Air Act to the RTOs to implement and comply with the vehicle emission and noise standards as notified by the Ministry, at the time of issue of conformity of production (CoP) certificates to vehicles in manufacturing stage," the direction reads.
Also, the automobile manufacturing companies are asked to get to the test done for stationary vehicles within 30 days, the report of which is to be submitted to the pollution authority.