KOZHIKODE: Vehicles with pollution-free certificates leaving columns of smoke would soon be a thing of the past thanks to the motor vehicle department (MVD) deciding to establish a centralised pollution testing system instead of depending on private centres.
Allegations were rampant that these centres were issuing certificates to vehicles not keeping the specified emission standards. The MVD had received complaints from across the state against them alleging that they issued certificates either without checking or understating the values.
The Ernakulam RTO alone had issued show cause notices to 40 such centres in the district. Joint transport commissioner (enforcement) Rajeev Puthalath said they would be reduced to mere emission sample testing centres within two months. Their computers would be linked with the server of MVD headquarters where the pollution data of each vehicle tested are digitally transferred.
"The owner will get the key to download the certificate on their mobile number," he said. If it fails the test, they have to re-submit the vehicle after rectifying the fuel injection system, tuning the engine and emission. Keltron is the implementing agency. The move was on cards for about a year.
