Vehicle owners have begun queuing up to get Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates across the city as the Transport Department is gradually stepping up enforcement against vehicles causing visible pollution, in the run-up to winter.
Not having a valid PUC attracts a fine of ₹10,000, six months’ imprisonment or both; action against such vehicles as well as those which are visibly causing pollution is the mainstay of the government’s bid to keep the city’s air quality from dipping to dangerously severe levels during winter months.
News reports on pollution, public notices and friendly reminders from the government to get PUCs renewed have been successfully encouraging vehicle owners to get their certificates up to date over the last three months. The battle, however, is far from over in this regard.
According to the Transport Department statistics, an average number of 10,000 PUCs were issued on a daily basis between August 10 and September 1 this year. This number jumped to a daily average of 15,000 between September 2 and 18, following news reportage related to pollution.
Between September 19 and October 6, when public notices regarding the issue were published by the government, the daily average of PUCs being issued rose to 20,000. Now, with the department launching an intensive drive against vehicles without valid PUCs and those causing visible pollution from Thursday, this daily average is expected to go much higher, according to officials.
“We have 56 dedicated enforcement teams which have been deployed to check PUCs of visibly polluting and overloaded vehicles. The department also started sending text messages to vehicle owners without valid PUCs to get them renewed,” said Ashish Kundra, Secretary and Commissioner, Transport.
“As many as 12 lakh messages for renewal were sent to vehicle owners on Wednesday. In addition to continuing to send reminders, we will be intensifying our drive against invalid PUCs and polluting vehicles over the coming days,” Mr. Kundra said.
According to statistics, 3,585 vehicles have been checked of which 329 were issued fines for not having valid PUCs so far; 10 vehicles were challaned for visible pollution.
Of the 1.34 crore registered vehicles in Delhi, the department estimates 18.50 lakh are running without PUCs; a majority of them – as many as 13.50 lakh are understood to be two-wheelers and 4.20 lakh are four-wheelers.
