Goaded by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, which in turn had been pulled up by the High Court of Karnataka, the state transport department is set to crack down on vehicles that violate air and noise pollution norms. The department, on Tuesday, sent a proposal to the state government seeking an increase in penalties for owners of vehicles that do not meet emission norms or emit loud noise through use of modified silencers.

The penalty for a vehicle that does not conform to emission norms currently stands at Rs 300. The department wants it hiked to Rs 600 for two-wheelers and Rs 1,000 for cars and other vehicles. "The present penalty is too minimal," said Maruti Sambrani, joint commissioner for transport (environment and e-governance). "If the penalty is high it would prove a deterrent. Motorists will think twice before flouting the law."

The department has warned that it will cancel registration certificates of vehicles caught for repeat offences and it has also planned a massive drive to weed out two-stroke vehicles (above 15 years) that cause noise and air pollution. The department estimates that there are about 25,000 autos, 10 lakh two-wheelers and around 90,000 transport vehicle aged above 15 years plying in the city. The state pollution control board had demanded a complete ban on two-stroke autos and for transport and non-transport vehicles aged above 15 years to be banned from roads.

Rame Gowda, commissioner for transport and road transport, said, "No new two-stroke vehicles have been registered in the last few years. RTOs in the city are already conducting drives to check vehicles causing noise and air pollution. We will initiate action against those vehicle owners who fail to obtain fitness certificates."

RTO officials say they have taken action against 2,000 auto drivers and other vehicle owners for causing noise pollution and have collected a fine amount of Rs 8.43 lakh from April to July. Officials have also filed 3,000 cases against vehicle owners for causing noise pollution and collected fines totalling Rs 14 lakh.

The department is also cracking down on emission testing centres to check illegal operations. So far, the department has suspended licences of six emission testing centres for lapses. "There are 289 emission testing centers in city limits," Gowda said. "As per rules RTOs have the right to cancel their licence. They even stand to forfeit their deposit with the department."