Hyderabad: Cops out to silence noisy bikers of city

Hyderabad: 'Raees' was a popular movie that hit the screen a couple of years ago. In it there's a scene showing the police running a road-roller over alcohol bottles to crush illegal liquor sale. But, the scene cuts into real life, and the Hyderabad police took a cue from it; they made a road-roller run over extra sound-emitting bike silencers on Tuesday to curb noise pollution.

City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said, "It is a symbolic move that we have taken to curb noise pollution. As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), sound levels above 65 decibels were injurious to health. Sound levels above 75 decibels could cause serious health problems such as hypertension, anxiety, and cardiovascular diseases. To curb the growing menace of extra fitted silencers which are causing havoc in society, we have taken this measure to give a message to wrongdoers. Such persons are instructed that they should not modify sound of silencers nor get an extra silencer fitted to their bikes."

He added "automobile shops and mechanics have been warned against selling modified silencers and not to fix tampered silencers to vehicles. Cases would be filed against those who violate the notice. Special drives are being conducted and cases booked against violators for modifying company-fitted silencers. We are urging citizens, particularly youth, not to cause noise pollution by modifying silencers. They are requested to follow traffic rules to make the city accident-free and noise-free. Also, parents are advised not to allow their children to modify the silencers and horns."

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) In-charge DS Chauhan said, "We have booked 12,938 cases for noise pollution and 1,977 for air pollution till September against violators including those for modifying company-fitted silencers on motorbikes and causing sound pollution."

The officers were speaking at an awareness programme to sensitise motorists on sound pollution at KBR Park, Banjara Hills. The Additional CP added "many bikers are removing company-fitted silencers and fixing silencers that emit more noise which is causing inconvenience to the public. Such noises are real threat to hospitals, schools, courts; they disturb patients in hospitals, children in schools and court proceedings. We have also found that noise pollution in the city is very high, as compared to rural areas. If anyone wants to get proof of it, then they can visit rural areas and interact with people of those areas to understand their sound levels, as against residents of cities. Henceforth, we will take strong action against noise polluters."