KOCHI: Kochi is set to join the league of metropolitan cities in the country, including on matters like air and sound pollution.

Air pollution is no longer confined to the Eloor-Edayar industrial belt. The phenomenal increase in the number of vehicles, especially cars, bikes, and goods carriers, has brought its share of pollution woes. The worst affected are two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, caught in the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

A good number of children and many adults in the city have allergic or other respiratory ailments. This is apart from partial deafness created by high-decibel horns and ill-maintained vehicles.

Adulterated fuel

Benny Joseph, State convenor of Janapaksham, says that most goods carriers, buses, and auto-rickshaws in the State use fuel adulterated with kerosene, which is highly polluting and cancerous. “We took the initiative in exposing the rampant use of fuel mixed with white kerosene in Palakkad, Thrissur and Adimaly. Blue (ration) kerosene too is being diverted for use as adulterant in fuel. Sadly, law enforcement agencies are not taking action.” He pointed out that dusty roads and use of air-horns is another cause for concern.

Experts say that old and ill-maintained vehicles are the worst offenders when it comes to air and sound pollution. “The Bharat II (similar to Euro II) norms has fixed the emission level of carbon monoxide for cars registered after October 2004 at 0.5 mg and that of two and three-wheelers at 3.5 mg,” says M.N. Prabhakaran, Deputy Transport Commissioner.

Lack of equipment

Sadly, most pollution-testing centres in Kochi have machinery capable of measuring pollution levels of only 2.5 mg and above.

This has prompted the Government to issue an order saying that their licence (issued every five years) will not be renewed if they do not install equipments which are sensitive enough to detect 0.5 mg of pollutants in the vehicle exhaust.

Mr. Prabhakaran said that the testing centres have equipment to test the presence of only carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. “They ought to have four-gas analysers – those that can detect the presence of hydrocarbons and oxygen as well. The centres testing diesel vehicles need machinery that can gauge the engine-oil temperature, oil pressure etc., too.”

Fake certificates

“It has come to our notice that many testing centres issue pollution-under-control (PUC) certificates without even testing the emission level from vehicles. Most vehicle owners are content if they get a PUC certificate, without bothering about the noxious fumes that their vehicles emit,” he said.

The Motor Vehicles Department recently took up the issue of fake PUC certificates with those who run the centres in Kochi, since high levels of toxic automobile fumes has reduced the level of oxygen in the air.

While un-burnt fuel releases black emissions, oil-burnt fuel gives out white emissions, both of which are not good. The emission must be as transparent as possible and this can be done by proper tuning of the engine, which will ensure the correct air-fuel ratio.