Patna, Oct. 15: School students today formed human chains and distributed no-honking stickers as part of an awareness drive to curb the menace of excessive honking and reduce noise pollution.

Recently, more than 1,800 students of St Michael's High School (junior wing) conducted a special assembly to educate children about the harmful effects of noise and urged people to avoid blowing horns, especially near school campuses and hospitals.

School headmistress Vishakha Sinha said: "We conduct such campaigns to get relief from honking menace but somehow, it is not very fruitful. It can only be helpful when children urge their parents against honking."

Earlier in October, the schoolchildren distributed stickers to passers-by and pasted it around the school campus.

Binod Singh, the convener of non-government organisation (NGO) Students' Oxygen Movement, said: "From time to time, we organise no-honking campaigns in schools to educate students about the harmful effects of noise pollution. Kids can encourage their parents not to blow horn unnecessarily. Sometimes, people blow horn continuously as part of their habit."

Many schools have put up no-honking slogans outside the school campuses - Hum bewajah nahi bajate, aap bhi nahi bajaye, shant shehr banaye (We don't honk unnecessarily, so you shouldn't also and keep the city peaceful).

Singh added: "We conduct this campaign in many schools. In the coming weeks, we will organise no-honking drives at DY Patil Pushpalata Patil International School, Litera Valley School, St Joseph's Convent High School, Don Bosco Academy and International School."

Around 500 students of Shri Ram Centennial School for Girls took part in no-horn campaign last week. With placards and posters, students asked passers-by not to blow horn impatiently or when stuck in traffic congestion. The students paste stickers on different vehicles and spread the message of peace and to keep the noise at bay.

"Only the young ones can make a big change," said Sister Lucina, the principal of St Joseph's Convent High School. "Honking is a sign of impatience and careless driving. It also disturbs students studying in classrooms."

"Commuters keep honking because traffic rules are not enforced well. There should be awareness about honking and penalties must be slapped for violation. Honking should be prohibited near schools and hospitals. Incessant honking on the city's roads has become so harsh," said K.K. Kunjachan, the principal of St Karen's Secondary School.

Devopriya Dutta, the coordinator of Tarumitra, another NGO, said noise pollution not only affects human beings but also the environment. "It is important to run campaigns on noise pollution. Honking is a like exploiting peaceful environment and incessant honking only shows poor civic sense of the people," she said.