Hyderabad: The Regional Transport Authority is to establish government authorised pollution testing centres at the RTOs in Khairatabad, Bandlaguda and Secunderabad in the next 15 days. This is the first time government testing centres are being set up.
The pollution testing centres will test vehicle emissions and provide pollution under control (PUC) certificates at a more reasonable rate than private pollution testing centres. The pollution certificates, to be valid for six months, will cost Rs 30 for two-wheelers, Rs 50 for three-wheeler petrol vehicles and Rs 60 for diesel four-wheelers.
Privately owned PUC centres charge Rs 50 for two-wheelers, Rs 80 for three-wheelers and Rs 150 for four-wheelers. If the response to the government run centres is good more such centres will be opened, said joint transport commissioner, Hyderabad, C. Ramesh.He added, “There are 80 lakh motor vehicles in different categories in the state. The vehicle population is increasing day by day and emissions from automobiles is causing pollution and becoming hazardous to health. Vehicular pollution contributes maximum to the air pollution. The total vehicular pollution load (VPL) in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad alone is 1,500 tonnes per day.” Environmentalist B.V. Subba Rao said it's the joint responsibility of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and traffic police officials to monitor vehicular pollution. “They have to increase the number of outlets for pollution checks and weekly reports should reach RTA office as a monitoring mechanism. Establishing pollution testing centres at RTO offices will really help if the certificates are issued honestly. The issuing centre's performance should be monitored and if they are not doing it honestly, their licences should be cancelled. Various junctions in the city like Punjagutta, Ameerpet, and now some junctions at Hitec City have high vehicular pollution.”
