NGT dismisses petition seeking restrain on trains from using horns

The National Green Tribunal has dismissed a petition complaining about noise pollution due to frequent blowing of horns by trains and said that essential activities have to be conducted in absence of any other options.

"It is a matter of common knowledge that Railway operations serve a large number of population and generation of noise in their operations cannot be wished away. Horns are required to be blown as per applicable ‘whistle code.’

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Thus, while a noise free environment is necessary, essential activities have to be conducted in absence of any other options," the Principal Bench of the NGT headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said in his order.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by residents of Ajmer in Rajasthan. The petitioners said that they were residents of Sundar Nagar, Subash Nagar, Gadi Malyan, Shivji Colony, Adarsh Nagar, Dhaula Bhatta, Kalyani Pura, Nehru Nagar in Ajmer and have been suffering due to noise pollution generated by the operation of trains by railways.

The applicants said that use of horn by the trains resulted in violation of Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.