ISLAMABAD, July 15: The use of pressure horns in vehicles, especially in rickshaws, is the main source of noise pollution in major cities, Minister of State for Environment Major (retired) Tahir Iqbal told the Senate on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question by Mohammad Akram, the minister said his ministry was taking every possible measure to curb the menace which over the last one decade has increased to a dangerous level.

In this regard, environment protection agencies and departments have been established throughout the country. Likewise, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act and various rules and regulations have been notified and the ministry has directed the departments concerned to effectively implement them. Only recently, two environmental tribunals have been notified.

The government has also established the National Environmental Quality Standard wherein the maximum allowable limit for motor vehicle noise has been set at 85 decibels.

On the other hand, as a result of negotiations, the local manufactures have been persuaded to disband the manufacturing of multi-tone pressure horns and now only single stage horns were being made.

In Islamabad, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency conducted special campaigns with the help of the traffic police to check vehicles having pressure horns. During various campaigns, about 2,000 pressure horns were removed.

Similarly, the Environmental Protection Department, Punjab, through various campaigns removed more than 27,000 illegal multi- tone pressure horns. NWFP Environmental Protection Agency with the cooperation of traffic police removed about 3,517 pressure horns from vehicles and damaged them on the spot.