Monday, 28 August 2023 | PNS | Dehradun
Unnecessary use of the horn by vehicle users has become a major source of noise pollution in the city. Many people in Dehradun tend to honk when the entire stretch of the road in front is clear or when there is bumper-to-bumper traffic with little space for any vehicle to manoeuvre and even in no-horn zones. Experts stress on the need to raise awareness to tackle this source of noise pollution at a time when various impacts of environmental degradation are being experienced in the provisional State capital. They state that with the passage of time noise pollution has increased in the city. Unnecessary honking on the roads is a major reason behind the noise pollution in the city. Awareness programmes at various levels including schools are needed to check this menace, they opine.
Local resident Narendra Singh said, “Unnecessary use of the horn has become common on city roads nowadays. I think it also has something to do with people carrying their social status on the roads. Such people honk for seeking the attention of the general public while causing disturbance to the public.”
Clinical psychologist Mukul Sharma told this correspondent that people of every age group are attempting actions which tend to violate traffic regulations. Unnecessary honking has become a major issue in the city. There are many reasons behind the unnecessary use of horn on the roads. Time management, status symbols, depression and attention-seeking are some reasons which encourage people to use the horn unnecessarily, he added.
He further emphasised the need for organising awareness programmes at the school and hospital levels to address and overcome the issue of unnecessary honking in the city. Conducting awareness programmes will also contribute to upholding the basic civi sense in Doon, added Sharma.
Senior orthopedic surgeon Dr BKS Sanjay said, “Unnecessary honking within the urban setting serves as the primary culprit behind the violation of noise pollution regulations. Any action that constitutes a violation of traffic rules, including unnecessary honking, primarily stems from the individual’s driving attitude. Additionally, factors like depression, social status symbolism and inadequate time management contribute to the inclination towards engaging in unnecessary use of the horn. Such actions within the city significantly contribute to prevalent cases of distraction. To address this problem, the implementation of an awareness programme assumes utmost importance.”
