Action plan soon to check vehicle pollution

The Hindu , Thursday, January 13, 2005
Correspondent : Sujay Mehdudia
NEW DELHI, JAN. 12. The increasingly heavy induction of vehicles on Delhi roads - 400 to 500 on an average every day -- has set alarm bells ringing with experts calling for measures to check the growing vehicle population. During the past year, air pollution levels in the Capital have risen alarmingly. The RSPM levels are higher than the previous year's average and nitrogen oxide levels too are exceeding the standards set for the Capital.

What is surprising is that this is happening despite the entire public transport system being run on eco-friendly CNG fuel. All this is being blamed on the sheer number of vehicles on Delhi's roads. The fleet in many cases is old, poorly inspected for in-use emissions and badly maintained.

"Delhi adds over 400 to 500 vehicles each day. It is impossible to think of pollution control without putting in place measures that would curb the growth of the vehicle population in the long term.

We are alive to the situation and working on certain measures that will go a long way in dealing with the rising pollution levels. It is not that pollution has increased all around the Capital, but there are certain pockets. The Government would soon come out with a package of reforms for tackling this issue and everything is being viewed with all the seriousness it requires,'' the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, said.

Ms. Dikshit said the Government was already working on an action plan and would unleash it in the coming days. This would include ban on entry of diesel vehicles that are not destined for Delhi. Vehicles coming from other States that do not conform the pollution standard set for Delhi would not be allowed to ply on Delhi roads.

A financial package for phasing out three-wheelers with retrofitted CNG kits is also being worked out by the Government. Apart from this, the maintenance and fitness certificate issuing system is also being revamped to meet the new parameters, she added. This would be apart from the move to convert all light goods commercial vehicles from 7.5 tonnes and below to CNG from April this year.

It is learnt that as part of the new system, the Delhi Government is trying to put in place an effective and reliable system to check the in-use emissions of vehicles. The Union Government has issued new standards for in-use emissions. This will improve the monitoring of diesel vehicles as well. It would also be ensured that all the PUC centres are set up with new equipment and all are networked and audited by an external agency for effective system. Once this system is in place, only vehicles, which have Pollution Under Control from Delhi, would be allowed to ply in the city.

According to the Transport Minister, Haroon Yusuf, the Delhi Government is planning to carry out regular drives against "grossly polluting" (with visible smoke) vehicles in the city.

The pollution drive and its impact would be well publicised to act as a deterrent to others. Under the law, in a special drive the Government can fine polluting vehicles up to Rs. 1000 and also cancel fitness of commercial vehicles. This would also check pollution of transit vehicles. Mr. Yusuf said the Chief Minister had already written to the Bajaj Auto CEO, Rahul Bajaj, asking the company to replace defective parts at its own cost so that performance of three-wheelers improve.

 
SOURCE : The Hindu,Thursday, January 13, 2005
 


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