Aluva: The iconic buzz of the siren reverberated through Aluva town at 5pm yesterday, exactly a month and seven days after it was banned by the district administration. Municipal chairman M O John operated the siren, putting an end to the month-long wait of the people of Aluva. John and CPM local secretary Rajeev Zacharia distributed sweets separately at the municipal office to celebrate the occasion.

It was former district collector N S K Umesh who had banned the ringing of the siren following a complaint from a lawyer, a native of Kangarappadi, alleging that it created sound pollution in the area. The people of Aluva, led by MLA Anwar Sadath, had held a protest march in the town against the ban. Interestingly, representatives of all political parties took part in the protest. John later submitted a request urging the collector to reconsider his decision.

The siren, built in England, was installed in 1965 during the India–Pakistan war to warn the public. Since then, its buzzing sound has been a part of life in Aluva. Even those living close to the Aluva municipality office have never complained that the siren’s sound was disturbing them.

John managed to convince the collector that the siren was closely connected to Aluva’s heritage and culture. As a result, the collector withdrew the ban order before his transfer. The siren will now ring for 20 seconds, five times a day—at 5 am, 8 am, 1 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm.