ALLAHABAD: In a move to regulate traffic and bring down the rising air pollution levels, the traffic police on Monday launched a drive against vehicles emitting poisonous carbon mono-oxide beyond the stipulated limits.

Traffic inspector Indrapal Singh told TOI that four teams equipped with smoke meters and gas analysers have been deputed at static locations of the city to check air pollution by vehicles. He further added that the drive was launched on the directives of the DGP and teams would be checking cases of air pollution by vehicles from August 12 to 19, 2013.

Before this drive, a similar drive was held from July 17 to July 26 wherein as many as 1,066 vehicles were checked and 278 of them were challaned. The traffic police had realized Rs 34,000 in fine. The traffic inspector said, "We have primarily been targeting three wheelers and heavy vehicles violating the norms."

While environmentalists term carbon monoxide as a slow poison, Dr Anil Kumar, a physician said, "Excessive inhalation of carbon monoxide restricts oxygen intake. It also affects the lungs' capacity and results in diseases like bronchitis, asthma, fibrosis and other respiratory ailments."

A senior cop said that the nature and extent of pollutants being emitted by heavy vehicles, as well as tempos, will be minutely gauged during the campaign and drivers would also be briefed about the ill-effects of smoke emitted by vehicles.