The Hindu : Computerised PUC deferred

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 02, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Computerised PUC deferred

By S. Anil Radhakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 1. Computerised pollution under control certificates (PUC), which were to be made mandatory for all classes of motor vehicles with effect from today, has been postponed indefinitely as confusion prevailed over the "legal software'' to be installed at the 500-odd approved pollution testing centres in the State.

Besides, the proprietors did not comply with the Government directive to computerise the pollution testing centres to issue the computerised PUC certificates and to provide the details of the tested vehicles to the offices of Motor Vehicles Department.

All pollution testing centres in the State were asked by the Government to issue the computerised PUC certificates from May 1 with colour photographs of the registration plates of the vehicles printed on it as being done in Andhra Pradesh.

As per the Government Order (MS) No 3/2003 of Transport Department of January 24, 2003, all emission testing centres were asked to install a Web camera, requisite software, a computer, an inkjet colour printer and computerise before April 30.

The testing centres were also asked to make the arrangements on their own to provide the details of the motor vehicles tested to the Regional Transport Officer and to the headquarters of Motor Vehicles Department housed in the Transport Bhavan.

Of the 60-odd approved testing centres in the capital, only one has been computerised and the software developed by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) installed. The other centre computerised is the one in Ernakulam district, but the software installed has been reportedly developed locally.

According to V. Mohankumar, secretary, Association of Authorised Testing Stations, confusion prevails among the centres as the Motor Vehicles Department has not been able to clarify on the "legal'' software to be installed and vouch for the fool-proofness of the computerised emission checking of the vehicles.

Many of the testing centres were also finding it difficult to computerise as they have to find Rs. 1 lakh for purchasing the SIAM software, computer, inkjet colour printer, computer and for upgradation of gas analyser and smoke meters.

In addition, the centres will have to equip the computers to provide details of the vehicles tested to the RTO and the MVD headquarters. The testing centres will have to recruit more staff and train them to handle the computer and other equipment.

The software developed by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) for testing the emission level of petrol vehicles and the only one available for petrol vehicles, is not tamper-proof and can be manipulated in several ways.

Association sources said even with the installation of the SIAM software, the certificates can be issued without taking the motor vehicle to the centre. The association has petitioned the department about the loopholes in computerised checking.

A top official of the Motor Vehicles Department told The Hindu that a proposal to extend the implementation of the computerised PUC has been forwarded to the Government as it has been found that more time is needed for the centres.

The Government order came in the wake of the finding that PUC certificates were being issued for all classes of vehicles by many centres in the State without checking the vehicles.

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