HOW ARE VEHICLES TESTED FOR POLLUTION?

Prelims level : Environment- Pollution & Waste Management Mains level : GS-III- Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
No Set Found with this ID

Why in News?

  • After the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 the fine for PUC violations has now gone up to Rs 10,000; it used to be Rs 1,000 for the first offence and Rs 2,000 for subsequent violations before the amendments came into force.
  • Since September 1, when the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into force, long queues of vehicles are commonly being seen at pollution control centres in Delhi. After undergoing a Pollution Under Control (PUC) test, a vehicle is certified for a certain period of time.
  • According to the data available 217.7 tonnes of carbon monoxide is emitted every day by vehicles in Delhi. Vehicular pollution estimates include 84.1 tonnes of nitrogen oxides and 66.7 tonnes of hydrocarbons per day.

About PUC Certificate:

  • The PUC certificate is a document that any person driving a motor vehicle can be asked to produce by a police officer in uniform authorised by the state government.
  • A PUC certificate contains information such as the vehicle’s license plate number, PUC test reading, date on which the PUC test was conducted and the expiry date.
  • Authorised pollution checking centres issue certificates if a vehicle is found complying with the prescribed emission norms.

How is a Pollution Control Check Carried Out?

  • The computerised model for pollution check was developed by the Society of Indian Automobile manufacturers.
  • A gas analyser is connected to a computer, to which a camera and a printer are attached. The gas analyser records the emission value and sends it to the computer directly, while the camera captures the license plate of the vehicle. Subsequently, a certificate may be issued if the emission values are within the limits.
Share Socially