Dedicated line for complaints against polluting vehicles

The joint venture initiated by the Transport Department and KSPCB will be launched shortly to track vehicles emitting black smoke, causing air pollution and sounding loud horns.

Transport Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told Deccan Herald that as there was no complaint number earlier, public used to call the transport office or the minister directly and never used to receive a convincing answer.  “To address public complaints, our department requested KSPCB to record the complaints and send the compiled report to us to take further necessary action", he said.

KSPCB Chairman Dr H C Sharatchandra said: "It is not only the private vehicles, I have seen even Government vehicles emitting thick smoke."  He added that the new IVRS complaint booking system will help track such vehicles.

Public grievances will be recorded through an IVRS where a person booking complaint mentions details of the polluting vehicle and receives a docket number at the end of the call. The recorded message will be later converted into a report by KSPCB and emailed to the Transport department.

The Transport department will then follow up and track down the vehicles within five days from the date of complaint registered and levy penalty from Rs 300 upwards. The punishment could even go up to cancelling the RC based on the severity of the pollution emitted.