Chennai: State agencies are found passing the buck when it comes to checking pollution levels in vehicles in the city. Despite having 63 per cent of nitrogen dioxide (prime air pollutant) in the atmosphere emitted from vehicles in the city, there is no agency conducting checks on it and centres available for it are not being used.
These levels of pollution alarmingly increased by 166 per cent between 2007 and 2011 in Chennai according to a study by the Centre of Science and Environment last year. And, yet, none in the pollution control board, transport department or traffic police is monitoring vehicular pollution in the city.
The state transport authority has 51 centres that issue pollution certificates to vehicles in the city - all of it is presently outsourced to private establishments. According to top officials with the traffic police, despite the agency having smoke detectors for conducting checks, they have not been using it for years now.
The officials say, “During regular checks, we do not insist on pollution certificates but when found suspicious, we ask for it. We book cases if we see a visible smoke emissions.”
When contacted, officials with the pollution control board said the board is responsible for fixing standards and providing technical knowledge alone and enforcement has to come from the traffic and transport departments. Presently, there are no checks undertaken by the pollution control board on vehicles.
The situation leaves the state transport authority, with its skeletal staff, to deal with regular checks. Sources in the department say that checks are restricted to the outskirts of the city and talk of the lack of manpower.
