Fines of over ₹78 lakh imposed on vehicles in Noida without pollution control since Oct 1

After staying in the “moderate” category for a day, pollution levels in Noida and Greater Noida again rose to ”poor” on Wednesday with an air quality index (AQI) reading of 220 in Noida and 234 in Greater Noida

The transport department has issued fines totalling ₹78 lakh in the past one and a half months on owners of vehicles that are running in Gautam Budh Nagar without a valid pollution under check (PUC) certificate.

Commuters out on a smoggy morning, in Greater Noida, India, on Wednesday, November 16, 2022. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

After staying in the “moderate” category for a day, pollution levels in Noida and Greater Noida again rose to ”poor” on Wednesday with an air quality index (AQI) reading of 220 in Noida and 234 in Greater Noida, according to the 4pm daily bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Officials of teh CPCB said the AQI is likely to remain in the ”poor” category as the wind speed is also good.

The fines amounting to ₹78 lakh for not having PUC certificate have been imposed since October 1, when the graded response action plan (Grap) regulations came into effect to control impact of pollution in National Capital Region. Additionally, fines have also been imposed on vehicles transporting construction material and waste without covering the material as well as on diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, respectively.

“There are four kinds of violations that the transport department needs to monitor under Grap and the NGT directives and these are vehicles without PUC, uncovered transport vehicles and old petrol and diesel vehicles. We are conducting regular inspections to ensure that these violations can be checked and we have also issued several advisories to people to get NOCs (no objection certificates) for districts outside of NCR if they have older vehicles,” said Prashant Tiwari, assistant regional transport officer.

Tiwari said the transport department is carrying out the enforcement of pollution related guidelines of Grap and the action against offenders in Gautam Budh Nagar would continue in the future as well.

The department has impounded over 36 vehicles, including private cars and commercial carriers that are older than the permissible limit for NCR cities. Since Grap was imposed, 26 diesel vehicles older than 10 years and 17 petrol vehicles older than 15 years have been seized in the district. As per norms, these vehicles need to either be deregistered or an NOC obtained from the transport department to get them transferred to other districts where they are allowed to be used.

According to transport department data, 780 fines were issued from October 1 till November 15 to owners of vehicles that do not have PUC certificates. The penalty amount is ₹10,000 for each violation.

Another 69 fines were imposed on vehicles that were found causing pollution by transporting uncovered material such as garbage or construction material. Each such violation carries a penalty of ₹500.

With increasing pollution levels in NCR cities, especially during the winter months, the Grap recommendations are implemented in four phases starting October 1. The phases are dependent on AQI levels in Delhi, which is taken as representative of NCR. As of now, Grap Phase 2 is in effect in all NCR cities, and includes the imposition of restrictions on transportation of construction material and waste without covering, besides penalties for not having PUC certificates and using older vehicles.

Grap recommendations also include encouraging use of public transport, minimising use of personal vehicles, keeping engines of vehicles properly tuned, maintaining proper air pressure in tyres, and keeping PUC certificates of vehicles up to date, among others.