Govt steps up efforts to catch polluting vehicles

Taking steps to check pollution in the capital, the Delhi government has challaned 5,351 vehicles for not having PUC certificates and 329 “visibly polluting” vehicles from January till June.

Of the 1,440 vehicles checked till June, 53 were found not meeting Pollution Under Control norms. The Transport Department has also launched a special drive against goods vehicles at seven entry points in the capital. Till June 30, 3,734 goods vehicles were challaned.

The details were part of an action plan submitted by the Delhi government to Union Ministry of Environments and Forests on curbing pollution in the capital. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had asked for a three-month action plan from four states, including Delhi, to tackle vehicular pollution. In view of directions by the National green Tribunal against those tampering PUC checks, a total of 33,554 motorists have been prosecuted for not carrying valid PUC certificates.

PUC software upgrades

A government official said the government is undertaking major upgradation in software used at PUC centers where pollution will be checked on real-time basis and captured on the sensor instantaneously.

“In order to eliminate possibility of tampering in PUC checks, the Transport Department is undertaking major upgradation in software used at PUC centers. We are also developing online module where pollution will be checked on real-time basis,” the official said.

The report said the new software would become operational by July, but the environment officials said it could not be implemented and will now come up by September.
The report also said the Chief Secretary has met officials from National Highway Authority of India and other concerned authorities regarding installation of weigh-in nation bridge at Delhi borders and it was emphasised that the NHAI should take a lead in expeditious installation at NCR and also at non-toll roads as 95 per cent heavy vehicular traffic moves through there.

The NGT had come down heavily on the city government and the authorities concerned for not taking measures to check weight, age and pollution levels of vehicles entering Delhi and asked to form teams in this connection.

The report said a team of officers from Transport Department, DPCC, Delhi Police, Weight and Measures Department was instituted on July 20 for checking of overloading of vehicles and pollution emissions in vehicles entering from Delhi-Sonipat, Delhi-

Bahadurgarh and Delhi-Ghaziabad borders. It also said Delhi Police have been deployed at important borders for returning non-destined vehicles. Regarding dust-control measures at construction sites, the report said 172 notices have been issued to units covered under environmental clearance by Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The DPCC officials also said while sanctioning the building plan, a condition is incorporated in sanctioned letter that the construction site be properly screened off the main road by erecting a screen wall not less than eight feet.

The government also said steps are being taken to increase the number of CNG buses and crackdown on industries to curb the rising pollution.