Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government has banned the use of multi-tone horns in vehicles across the state, PTI reported on Thursday. The decision was taken by Punjab Pollution Control Board under section 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Board chairman Kahan Singh Pannu said the new law bans the manufacture, sale, purchase, fitting and use of multi-tone and pressure horns, PTI reported. Pannu added the law also bans silencers/devices fitted in vehicles that emit a cracker-like sound. This is one of the the biggest decision taken by the CM Amarinder Singh-led government in the state after it came to power February. Last month, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh approved the demand for grant of cash in lieu of land for widows of the martyrs. With this decision, the Punjab government fulfilled the long standing demand of war widows. This policy change would also apply to the widows of martyrs of the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Moreover, it will also be applicable to the dependents of the martyred soldiers of the Indo-Pak war of 1962, Indo-Pak war of 1965 and the Divyang soldiers of 1971 war.

In February, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had banned pressure, multi-toned and musical vehicle horns. According to Hindustan Times, a notification by CPCB Chairman SP Singh Parihar to the state pollution boards and the police in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai and Thane, said, “Vehicles shall not be fitted with power, pressure or musical horns giving a sharp, shrill and alarming noise. Vehicles found with such horns shall be challenged by the enforcement authority [police] and the horn shall be confiscated.”