Dissatisfied with the traffic police for only challaning the use of pressure horns and not removing them from vehicles, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked it about the steps being taken to ensure that such devices are not used.
A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani perused a status report filed by Delhi Traffic Police which stated that it has been issuing challans to several thousand vehicles, including two wheelers, for use of pressure horns, and said "we are not satisfied by it".
The high court said that in a judgement of 2007 it held that police has the powers to remove such illegal devices from the vehicles.
The March 26, 2007 judgement had said: "The Government of NCT of Delhi and Delhi Police which are main enforcing agencies would be entitled to remove the pressure horn or any other offending horns from the vehicles, as if these offending parts are permitted to be used on the vehicles, there is every likelihood of offence being repeatedly committed."
The court directed the ACP (Traffic) from Delhi Police HQ to show "how and in what manner" the directions given in the 2007 judgement were being implemented and listed the matter for further hearing on July 24.
It also directed that the ACP (Traffic) to be present before the court on the next date with an updated status report on the action taken in accordance with law against persons using such devices.
The court was hearing a PIL by an NGO, Justice for Rights Foundation, and a law student Prateek Sharma seeking a ban on manufacture, sale and use of various kinds of pressure horns, speakers and modified silencers, including those in Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, in the national capital.
Advocate Harpreet Singh Hora, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the directions given in the 2007 judgement of the high court were not being implemented as the traffic police was only issuing challans for use of the pressure horns and letting the offending vehicle go without removing the device.
He said this would lead to the offence being repeated again.
Subsequently, the court asked the traffic police to indicate how it was implementing the 2007 judgement and to file an updated status report on the action taken against use of such devices.
According to the petition, loud sound producing equipments cause health problems including stress, headache, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, blood pressure variations, cardiac disease and digestive disorders.
The plea, has contended that the vehicular noise pollution menace was rampant in areas like the North Campus here, specifically Malka Ganj, Hudson Lane, Vijay Nagar, Gupta Colony, Chhatra Marg and other areas in and around the Delhi University (DU).
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