Modified Royal Enfields biggest contributor to noise pollution: NGO to Delhi HC

An NGO has appealed to the Delhi High Court asking for a ban on modified exhausts fitted to Royal Enfield motorcycles. The plea before the Delhi high court, filed by the NGO Justice for Rights Foundation and a law student by the name of Prateek Sharma, claims that Royal Enfields with modified exhaust set-ups are the biggest cause of noise pollution in India.

The plea before the Delhi High Court also asks for a ban on pressure horns and sub-woofers fitted onto cars. The petitioners are claiming that modified exhausts, pressure horns and sub-woofers serve no proper purpose other than to create a nuisance and pose a major health risk to people especially minors, senior citizens and those suffering from other medical conditions. The petitioners have asked for a ban on the manufacture, sale and use of various kinds of pressure horns, amplified speakers and modified Royal Enfield exhausts in Delhi.

The petition filed a report with the High Court of Delhi stating that when pressure horns, woofers and modified silencers exceed a particular decibel level, they can cause health problems, such as headaches, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, variations in blood pressure levels, stress, cardiac disease and digestive disorders.

In response to the plea, the two-judge panel hearing the case has issued notices to the central and Delhi governments along with the pollution control authorities and the police asking for a response regarding the petition calling for a ban on the three items mentioned before.

The report filed by the petitioners claims that vehicular noise pollution was especially causing problems in areas situated in or around Delhi University college campuses. The petitioners claim that noise pollution caused by modified Royal Enfield silencers, pressure horns and amplified speakers have seen a marked increase in recent months due to the ongoing Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections.

This plea by the NGO and the law student is quite justified especially in the case of many aftermarket exhaust systems for Royal Enfield bikes that create bangs and backfires and are generally quite a lot louder than the ones fitted on the bikes when they leave the factory. Banning pressure horns and overtly loud music systems is also a positive step as well.

The biggest noise polluters though in impact might be the never-ending festivities that include blasting entire neighbourhoods with everything from DJ music to devotionals, we think. But looks like this is an issue that the courts will consider strongly.

Via – Financial Express