100 pollution-checking centres found flouting norms

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 10

Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) teams have inspected 225 authorised vehicular pollution-checking centres and found 100 such centers violating norms. These centres issue pollution under control (PUC) certificates to vehicle owners.

The spokesman of the PPCB said, “We have been receiving regular complaints that these pollution- checking centres are issuing PUC certificates without any checking. They keep vehicle owners in dark about the exact emissions.”

The PPCB swung into action and constituted 100 teams headed by engineers to check these centres across the state. The teams found about 100 such centres violating the norms as these were not even having span gases to calibrate the instruments and in some cases, the instruments were found non-functional.

The spokesman further said, “We have directed the Transport Department to take action against the defaulters. He appealed to all stakeholders to get their vehicles properly checked from authorised pollution-checking centres and if emissions were above the prescribed limits, the owners should get their vehicles tuned properly for improved fuel efficiency, and hence reducing the air pollution.