Launch drive to check vehicular emission: HC to Delhi govt

The city government was today asked by the Delhi High Court to chalk out a plan for conducting a drive to check if the vehicles plying in the national capital are complying with emission norms and have valid pollution under control (PUC) certificates.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul passed the order while hearing a plea seeking strict implementation of the provisions for PUC certification to improve the air quality in the city.
"The Transport Department of Government of NCT Delhi is to chalk out a plan to ensure that all vehicles plying in Delhi carry the PUC certification. Due notice will be given to public through advertisements," the bench said and sought a status report on the issue by the next date of hearing in May this year.

The court also made the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) a party in the case regarding providing feeder service to and fro from localities near metro stations.
It impleaded DMRC on the oral request of the petitioner, Mahesh Kumar Gupta, who said that for the last 11 years there are no feeder services connecting his area, Greater Kailash-I, to the nearby metro station and the residents have to use their vehicles thus increasing the vehicular emission.
Gupta, in his plea, filed through advocate Rohit Madan, has said that there is no strict implementation of the PUC certification norms given under the Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Rules.

During the proceedings, Madan submitted before the court that there are over 60 lakh vehicles plying on Delhi roads which are not being checked regularly for PUC certification.

He also said that when a defaulter is caught by the police, he is challaned Rs 100 and if caught by the transport department, he is challaned Rs 1000.
When the court asked the city government about this difference in challans, the bench was informed that the fines are provided in the Act, which has been enacted by the Centre and the state cannot amend the same.
The Delhi government also submitted that all old vehicles in the city have PUC certificates, a submission disputed Gupta.

The petitioner told the court that every year more than 3000 people are dying in Delhi itself due to air pollution.