On the roads of the capital, many drivers honk without reason. Pedestrians say that honking has become a habit of drivers, resulting in acute noise pollution in the city. However, environmentalists say that to get relief from honking is not easy, as more awareness is needed along with the enforcement of law.
A driver says: “Often, we have no option but to use the horn to ask for space from rickshaws. If there was a separate lane for rickshaws honking would not be needed.”
DG of the Department of Environment (DoE), AKM Rafiq Ahmed, said: “Instead of fines through mobile courts, we need to persuade people from honking too much. We have already launched a project to prevent noise pollution and a second stage proposal of the project is with the planning commission.”
Apart from handing out fines, people were also being made aware, he said adding: “We need to change the habit of the people. There will be TV campaigns, documentaries etc.”
At an inter-ministerial meet held on Nov 25, presided by the minister for environment, forest and climate change, a decision was taken to declare the area around the secretariat a ‘no horn zone’ from Dec 17.
As per the air pollution 2006 guideline, a 'no horn zone' will cover 100 metres of an institute. If anyone breaks the law then the first time punishment is Tk 5,000 fine or 1 month imprisonment or both. Second time offenders will face six months imprisonment at the highest or Tk 10,000 fine or both.
Executive president of BAPA, an environmental platform, Dr Abdul Matin, added: “No horn zones are needed at several points of the city. Mobile courts will have to be placed and people made aware through counselling and fines.”