Delhi govt raises pollution under control certificate fees after 13 yrs

The revised fees for pollution under control certificates are Rs 80 for two and three-wheelers running on petrol, CNG, or LPG; Rs 110 for four-wheelers and larger vehicles using petrol, CNG, or LPG

The Aam Aadmi Party government on Thursday raised the fees for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in Delhi for the first time in 13 years.

The revised fees for pollution under control (PUC) certificates are now Rs 80 for two and three-wheelers running on petrol, CNG, or LPG, and Rs 110 for four-wheelers and larger vehicles using petrol, CNG, or LPG.

Additionally, the fee for diesel-propelled vehicles’ pollution checks is set at Rs 140.
 

State Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said, “In response to the long-pending demands of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association and to keep up with the rising costs of pollution checking services, we have decided to revise the rates.”

He further said, “We remain committed to maintaining Delhi’s air quality and ensuring that all vehicles meet the required pollution standards.”

According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (1989), every vehicle must possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate within one year from the date of its registration.

Data from the transport department reveals that over 85 per cent of the vehicles operating in the city without Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates are two-wheelers. As of now, Delhi has a total of over 97 lakh registered vehicles, comprising 27.8 lakh cars and 69.8 lakh two-wheelers. Alarmingly, approximately 22 lakh vehicles lack the required PUC certificates.

Air pollution crisis in India in cities

A recent study published in ‘The Lancet Planetary Health’ journal has revealed alarming statistics regarding air pollution in 10 major Indian cities. The study analysed data from cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla, and Varanasi, highlighting the impact of PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the World Health Organisation's (WHO) safe limits for exposure.

According to data from the transport department, over 85 per cent of vehicles lacking Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in the city are two-wheelers. Delhi presently boasts a total of 9.7 million registered vehicles, comprising 2.78 million cars and 6.98 million two-wheelers, as reported by Business Today.

Alarmingly, around 2.2 million vehicles in the city do not possess the mandatory PUC certificates.

Deaths due to air pollution

The Lancet Planetary Health study reveals alarming findings regarding air quality in ten major cities in India.

“We obtained daily counts of all-cause mortality from the death registries of ten municipal corporations in India (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla, and Varanasi), covering each of the five climate zone classifications,” the study said.

The study showed that around 7.2 per cent of total deaths in India can be linked to daily exposure to PM2.5.

According to the study, Delhi experiences the highest proportion of daily and annual deaths linked to PM2.5 air pollution, consisting of particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less. This pollution primarily originates from emissions from vehicles and industries.

[With PTI inputs]