New siren rules for ambulances in Kolkata, Howrah

KOLKATA: In an effort to contain and regulate increasing noise pollution in Kolkata and Howrah municipal areas, the state environment department has directed ambulances not to use hooters and sirens beyond the permissible limit prescribed by the department.
Apart from imposing a blanket ban on use of multi-toned horns, air horns and other horns emitting shrill noise, the department has advised ambulances to use beacon lights as much as possible to keep the noise pollution level under control.
The notification issued by the department of environment said ambulances should use beacons compulsorily while ferrying patients to and from the hospitals. “Hooters and sirens, if at all are to be used by ambulances, should not generate noise more than 65 dB (Decibel) during day time and 55 dB (Decibel) during night hours,” the notification mentioned.
The department has also issued strict specified norms to be followed by the other vehicles but the ambulances. “Multi-toned horns, commonly known as Ti-Ti horns, air horns and any other horns giving harsh, shrill, loud and alarming noise to be completely banned and action will be taken on drivers using such horns,” the notification said.
Though the state government said that blowing horns, bursting firecrackers, using microphones and loudspeakers are strictly prohibited in ‘silence zones’, the department of environment, in a recent report said that indiscriminate use of hooters and sirens by the ambulances and other high decibel horns are causing substantial noise pollution in Kolkata and Howrah Municipal areas.
The problem becomes apparent in a recent exercise when Kolkata police, in a ‘No Honking’ campaign launched on August 21, has fined 3,150 people in the last four days for excessive honking.