GURUGRAM: Every petrol pump in the state must have a centre for checking vehicular pollution on its premises — the state government has stated in a up to date order, bringing focus back on illegal ones that run on cellular vans and cycle rickshaws in Gurugram and other parts of Haryana, undermining their very function.
Following the order issued on January 25, TOI went on a truth check on Monday and located at least 10 illegal pollution checking centres or 'pollution below keep watch over' (PUC) centres running in the city's outstanding localities, together with Golf Course Road, Rajiv Chowk, close to Guru Dronacharya Metro station, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, Gurugram bus stand, Jharsa Road, Sector 4-7 Chowk and sectors 43, 51 and 56. All of them are running on cellular vans or cycle rickshaws.
There are best 138 authorised PUCs in the district, as towards over 250 petrol pumps. Again, these types of PUCs don't seem to be situated on the petrol pumps.
A PUC will have to have a cabin (with minimal 2.5m length, 2m width and 2m height) for putting the analyser and computer hardware. The cabin shall be accurately designed to give protection to the machine from warmth, direct daylight and rain, and will have to have proper ventilation. But, the ones illegal cellular centres don't meet these norms.
Moreover, a PUC operator will have to be a motor mechanic/auto mechanic/scooter mechanic/diesel mechanic from an ITI or have an equivalent qualification. However, these cellular centres are being run via unmarried operators, who don't seem to be even 'semi-literate'.
The operator of 1 such cellular centres instructed TOI that checking pollution of vehicles was no longer "rocket science". "Even if a vehicle is standing one kilometre away, I can tell you if it is polluting. We don't have modern equipment like those centres at petrol pumps and we issue a certificate after looking at the colour of the smoke emitted by a vehicle. We also check if a vehicle is making any noise," he stated, soliciting for anonymity.
Also, the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, mandates that each one petrol and diesel-run vehicles will have to conform to the mass emission requirements. But it sort of feels even city's vehicle owners don't thoughts going to such cellular centres for a 'fitness' certification and mock the golf green rules.
"When we find it difficult to get pollution fitness certificate, we are forced to go to these centres. For instance, there is no PUC near Subhash Chowk (where I live). The nearest PUC is on Golf Course Extension Road, around two kilometres from my place. I prefer to get it done at a rickshaw centre near Rajiv Chowk than going all the way to Golf Course Extension Road," stated Raju Kumar, a automotive owner.
Officials at HSPCB expressed helplessness. "Fake (illegal) PUCs in the city are major cause of air pollution. Many times, we have informed RTA about these centres," stated an HSPCB respectable.
When requested, RTA Pradeep Dahiya stated, "As soon as we get the notification, we will carry out an inspection to ascertain the number of petrol pumps that don't have PUCs. All petrol pumps will be directed to allocate space for setting up PUCs. The step will help bring down vehicular emissions."
Following the order issued on January 25, TOI went on a truth check on Monday and located at least 10 illegal pollution checking centres or 'pollution below keep watch over' (PUC) centres running in the city's outstanding localities, together with Golf Course Road, Rajiv Chowk, close to Guru Dronacharya Metro station, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, Gurugram bus stand, Jharsa Road, Sector 4-7 Chowk and sectors 43, 51 and 56. All of them are running on cellular vans or cycle rickshaws.
There are best 138 authorised PUCs in the district, as towards over 250 petrol pumps. Again, these types of PUCs don't seem to be situated on the petrol pumps.
A PUC will have to have a cabin (with minimal 2.5m length, 2m width and 2m height) for putting the analyser and computer hardware. The cabin shall be accurately designed to give protection to the machine from warmth, direct daylight and rain, and will have to have proper ventilation. But, the ones illegal cellular centres don't meet these norms.
Moreover, a PUC operator will have to be a motor mechanic/auto mechanic/scooter mechanic/diesel mechanic from an ITI or have an equivalent qualification. However, these cellular centres are being run via unmarried operators, who don't seem to be even 'semi-literate'.
The operator of 1 such cellular centres instructed TOI that checking pollution of vehicles was no longer "rocket science". "Even if a vehicle is standing one kilometre away, I can tell you if it is polluting. We don't have modern equipment like those centres at petrol pumps and we issue a certificate after looking at the colour of the smoke emitted by a vehicle. We also check if a vehicle is making any noise," he stated, soliciting for anonymity.
Also, the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, mandates that each one petrol and diesel-run vehicles will have to conform to the mass emission requirements. But it sort of feels even city's vehicle owners don't thoughts going to such cellular centres for a 'fitness' certification and mock the golf green rules.
"When we find it difficult to get pollution fitness certificate, we are forced to go to these centres. For instance, there is no PUC near Subhash Chowk (where I live). The nearest PUC is on Golf Course Extension Road, around two kilometres from my place. I prefer to get it done at a rickshaw centre near Rajiv Chowk than going all the way to Golf Course Extension Road," stated Raju Kumar, a automotive owner.
Officials at HSPCB expressed helplessness. "Fake (illegal) PUCs in the city are major cause of air pollution. Many times, we have informed RTA about these centres," stated an HSPCB respectable.
When requested, RTA Pradeep Dahiya stated, "As soon as we get the notification, we will carry out an inspection to ascertain the number of petrol pumps that don't have PUCs. All petrol pumps will be directed to allocate space for setting up PUCs. The step will help bring down vehicular emissions."
PUC centres in Gurugram run on rickshaws, mock green rules
![PUC centres in Gurugram run on rickshaws, mock green rules]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
January 30, 2018
Rating:
