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Leela Menon
KOCHI, DEC 18: As four and two-wheelers have become necessities today, instead of just luxuries or status symbols, Kerala is witnessing a spurt in the number of vehicles. Currently over 50 lakh vehicles ply on the State's roads, apart from a horde of three and two-wheelers, all contributing to air pollution.
Rule 116 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules prescribe that all vehicle owners should subject their vehicles to emission tests every six months after the first year, and all vehicles should carry pollution-under-control certificates. The HC had ordered the State to ensure this, and the Chief Secretary had undertaken to implement installation of smoke meters and gas analysers in each district to measure carbon monoxide and other pollution.
During 1992-93, four smoke meters were bought at Rs 10.66 lakh and installed at Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Kochi and Thrissur.The State has since set up 110 pollution testing stations, all run by private operators.
There is no State mechanism tocounter-check the efficacy of these units, except in RTO offices. The smoke meter and gas analyser installed at the RTO office here has been out of order for months and is yet to be repairedRandom checking can be done even by a motor vehicle inspector, but there is a dearth of staff; a fact which has been taken up with the Government, but with little result.
Thus, though the ratio of the number of staff and motor vehicles was supposed to be 10:1,000, this ratio was reportedly never reached.Currently, the private testing stations give certificates to all who approach them. The fee for checking smoking is Rs 50, and for analyser Rs 25. The pollution density in a petrol vehicle is measured by the level of carbon monoxide emission.
The permitted level is 4.5 for four wheelers and 3 for two and three wheelers.A private checking agency says it is easy to circumvent the check.
Autorickshaws which use diesel and petrol, pour only petrol when they go for checking, thus escaping the smoke test. When dieselvehicles go for testing, they use less diesel and revert to the normal practice once the pollution certificate is obtained. Even mechanics say that the density of smoke can be regulated by tuning the air screen or fuel injector and altering the RPM (revolutions per minute). The police, who are supposed to counter-check, only ensure that the certificate is available with the owner.
Air pollution is a major health hazard and traffic constables are inevitable victims of this. Kerala has also registered a high level of asthma affliction.
Remarks a citizen,``Delhi has ordered all 15-year-old vehicles off its roads. Here, even 20-year-old vehicles ply with impunity.''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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