The campaign — “Horn Not Ok” is making impact in Shimla and Manali as fewer people are blowing horns now, Himachal Additional Chief Secretary Environment, Science & Technology RD Dhiman said on Saturday.

Presiding over the review meeting of “Horn Not Ok” campaign here, he said that blowing horn is not only causing unnecessary noise pollution but it is also harmful for our health. He said that in the first phase this campaign has been launched in two towns of the State,  Shimla and Manali on pilot basis.

The official said both these towns are major tourist attractions and motivating the drivers not to use horns in these towns is a commendable initiative.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched “Horn Not OK” awareness campaign and “Shoor Nahin” Mobile App in August this year. 

Dhiman said that noise pollution is a serious problem in urban areas where thousands of vehicles ply daily and honking causes serious health hazards. He said that 80 percent persons blow horns out of habit which is unnecessary, adding that horn is a symbol of uncivilised in western countries.

He said the mobile App ‘Shoor Nahin’ is also a good initiative to check noise pollution in the State. This App has been developed for the convenience of the general public to report any noise pollution occupancy to the authorities for corrective measures. It is an initiative of the Department of Environment Science and Technology in association with the NIC Himachal Pradesh.

This App allows two types of users that are general public and officers, both are authenticated using the OTP. He said that all such complaints would be immediately made available through the App to the concerned DC, SP, SDM and SDPO who can add the action taken report on the app itself. The App would help authorities to locate the occurrence of the incidences using GPS which can be easily used to trace the path using Google maps.

Dhiman said students of schools and colleges should be involved in this campaign as apart from making older people aware about noise pollution caused by honking they will be groomed as civic persons. He directed to put signages in silence zones i.e. schools, colleges, hospitals and courts etc about not blowing horns in 100 metre radius and enforcement of ‘No Horn’ between 10 pm to 6 am in the State.

He directed the police officers to strictly enforce it and issue challans for violation.

He said taxi unions, truck unions and drivers of GAD, other Government offices and HRTC should be sensitised about “Horn Not OK” campaign, asking the bank representatives to put up more signages at the entry points of both towns and at prominent locations of Shimla and Manali.

Director Environment, Science & Technology DC Rana said that he visited Katmandu in Nepal and seen that there is no honking in the city. He said that when a country like Nepal which has lower literacy rate as compare to India and has a chaotic traffic can successfully implement this campaign then why we cannot.

President Hotel Shimla Association Harnam Kukreja said that signages of “Horn Not Ok” would be displayed at parkings and reception of all Shimla based hotels.