Kochi: MG Road’s Seemati-Maharaja’s Metro Station stretch ‘sanitised’
KMRL managing director A P M Muhammad Haneesh declared the stretch of MG Road from Seemati to Maharaja's Metro Station as the first 'No Horn' area in Kerala.
Published: 27th April 2018 01:37 AM | Last Updated: 27th April 2018 03:02 AM | A+A A-
Students campaigning against noise pollution on MG Road which was declared a 'No Horn Area' from Seemati to Maharaja's Metro Station on Thursday | Melton Antony
KOCHI: As part of the observation of the 'No Horn Day', KMRL managing director A P M Muhammad Haneesh declared the stretch of MG Road from Seemati to Maharaja's Metro Station as the first 'No Horn' area in Kerala.
Haneesh said the city's residents are exposed to high decibels of sound from 6 am- 11 am which is detrimental to their health. Lauding the efforts of those behind the 'No Horn Day' campaign, he said, "Constructive initiatives like the one taken up by the IMA, National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI), Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly, Motor Vehicles Department, police and the Kochi Metro need to be welcomed and well-received by the public." DCP R Karuppusamy, who presided over the ceremony, said, "The need of the hour is a change in the public's mindset.
The people themselves have to take up the initiative to curb noise pollution. They should avoid unnecessary honking." Reji P Varghese, RTO Ernakulum, delivered the keynote address. A short film jointly made by the Kerala Media Academy and IMA to create awareness on minimising the use of horns was also released during the function. Meanwhile, on Wednesday the ENT consultants and PGs under the banner of AOI, Cochin chapter, IMA, SCMS and Little Flower Hospital jointly conducted a study on the noise pollution's fallout on traffic police personnel.
According to Dr V D Pradeep, convener of the 'No Horn Day' programme, the results were alarming. "It was found out of the 52 cops, who underwent the audiological evaluation, 40 tested positive for noise-induced sensorineural hearing impairment," he said. "It was heartening to see the positive response of the traffic police personnel. The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) was the first person to undergo the test," he said.
During the two-day long study carried out by the SCMS, it was found indiscriminate use of horns in addition to other road sounds severely affected the hearing of private bus and auto drivers.
