Pollution stick on old vehicles
2 min readPatna: Private city buses that are over 15 years old have to face strict action from the transport department.
The department plans to start pollution check of vehicles on the road and cancel the permit and fitness of vehicles if found violating emission standards. The decision was taken following increase in pollution levels, with around 2,500 buses and trucks being the primary culprits.
“On the basis of pollution level, the fitness and permit of city buses will be cancelled and their vehicles seized. We will start the move with city buses and trucks but not the autos which equally add to the pollution. We will add autos in the next phase because in Patna, there are hardly any autos more than 15 years old. Legally, we cannot ban the 15-year-old vehicles and the Supreme Court order was related to the NCR after the National Green Tribunal had approached the apex court,” transport department secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told The Telegraph.
There are more than 32,000 commercial vehicles running on Patna roads, which are more than 15 years old. They include 16,000 trucks, 2,500 buses, 2,000 cars, 630 mini buses, 1,500 maxis, 2,800 delivery vans, 6,000 tractors and 1,200 autos. This is apart from around 10,000 private cars.
Asked about how to implement the move, Agarwal replied: “We have bought 10 machines to check whether vehicles are meeting the emission and pollution control norms or not. We will not rely on the pollution under control (PUC) certificate and if excess smoke is found emanating from the vehicles, they would be seized.”
Many buses and trucks plying on roads are seen emanating thick smoke to the extent of creating a visual barrier for motorists behind. It also inconveniences pedestrians.
Agarwal stressed that motor vehicles inspectors (MVIs) and enforcement sub-inspectors (ESI) of the transport department are receiving the training regarding how to use the machines. The checking will start within a week.
Courtesy: The Telegraph
