Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Steps against fake emission tests

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE MAY 30. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), the Transport Department and the City Police are gearing up to eradicate the practise of issuing ``fake'' emission check certificates by testing centres. Action will also be taken against those issuing the certificates without examining vehicles.

While the Transport Department will suspend licenses of emission testing centres which do not follow the norms for emission test, the police will initiate criminal action against erring centres for breach of trust.

This was conveyed to the owners of the testing centres at a meeting of the City Police, the Transport Department and the KSPCB officials. Sources said the City Police Commissioner, H.T.Sangliana, warned owners of testing centres against issuing fake certificates.

The Commissioner told the centres that there were reports of emission test certificates being issued without the vehicles being examined. The centres were also allegedly issuing fake certificates, the Commissioner told the meeting.

When contacted, Mr. Sangliana told The Hindu that police would book cases of criminal breach of trust and cheating against such centres whose licenses had been suspended by the Transport Department, as well as against the centres to whom notices had been issued by the department regarding breach of norms. He said many such centres were bungling with the system and were found to be issuing "fake" certificates.

Bangalore has 158 emission testing centres. Of them, 40 have been computerised, wherein certificates can be issued only on the production of the vehicle concerned. Testing centres have to follow norms under the Motor Vehicles Act and the rules framed by the Union and State governments under the Act, while issuing certificates.

It is made mandatory for vehicles to be certified as "Emission under control" vehicles. While brand new vehicles have been exempted from the test up to one year from the date of purchase, owners or operators need to get certificates once in six months subsequently for their vehicles. If emission levels are found to be beyond the prescribed levels during inspection, an opportunity will be given to the owner or operator to get them rectified. If he fails to do so, penalty will be levied against him.

The meeting decided to conduct joint inspection drives in the City from June 5 to June 20 as part of the World Environment Day. As many as 30 squads, comprising personnel from the KSPCB, the Transport Department and the City Police, will be formed to conduct the drive.

It is proposed to offer free emission tests for vehicles during the special drive. Owners or operators of vehicles will be issued authenticate and valid "Emission under control" certificates after testing, and the cost will be borne by the KSPCB.

The meeting was attended by, among others, the KSPCB Member-Secretary, Manivannan, and the Joint Commissioner of Transport (Enforcement-South), C.R.Mohammed Suleman.

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