Roadside vehicle emission tests soon
To be introduced country wide:
Chamikara Weerasinghe
Vehicle testing teams from the Motor Traffic Department (MTD) will
soon stop any vehicle that emits black smoke and conduct random emission
checks with roadside vehicle emission testing to be introduced all over
the country for the first time.
The Department is in the process of procuring smog analyzers and
opacity metres to conduct the operation, said Motor Traffic Department (MTD)
Vehicle Emission Testing Project Director A W Dissanayaka.
The roadside testing will be done with the assistance of the police
or authorized personnel from MTD, Central Environment Authority and
Measurement Unit and Standards Department, he said.
Suitable test sites will be selected and vehicles will be pulled off
the road at random to conduct acceleration tests to determine their
exhaust emissions. .
If a vehicle is found to be in breach with legal emission limits set
out by the authorities, the owner of the vehicle will be issued a
�repair notice� by the Department,� said Dissananyaka. They will be
required to effect repairs and submit their vehicles for a re-test, said
Dissanayaka. Re-tests will be done at emission testing centers which are
run by licensed operators, CleanCo and Laugfs, which issue mandatory
vehicle emission testing certificates to vehicle owners to obtain their
revenue licence.
�We will give vehicle owners time frames during which they are
expected to have their vehicles repaired,� he said.
Failing to do so, the MTD will issue a Prohibition Notice, he said.
�Prohibition may be delayed giving extra time to the owner to fix his
vehicle. Our aim is to reduce air pollution caused by vehicular
emissions,�he stressed.
�The roadside emission tests are expected to take off the worst air
polluting motor vehicles off the road,� he said.
�The procedure is envisioned to enhance the ongoing Vehicle Emission
Testing Program in terms of its effective implementation,� he said.
Where vehicle owners are found to have neglected maintenance of their
vehicles on a regular basis, the department will keep the owner�s
revenue licence. The police will take his or her driving licence.
The Motor Traffic Department is planning to buy 23 smog analyzers and
opacity metres. The equipment will be Indian made, according to Motor
Traffic Department. Some equipment will be given to the Central
Environment Authority and the Measurement Unit and Standards Department
as part of the program.
The Measurement Unit and Standards Department will set emission
standards and calibrate the equipment for testing. �MTD is taking steps
to recruit people with technical skills from the German Technical
Training Institute to conduct the roadside tests,� he said.
�Much is being done to improve the conduct of vehicle emission tests
to manage air pollution caused by motor vehicles, � he said.
�The road side emission testing is envisioned to enhance the ongoing
Vehicle Emission Testing Program in terms of its effective
implementation,� he said.
MTD recently established a Project Office in Narahenpita to oversee
the conduct of its overall Vehicle Emission Testing Program.
Dissanayaka said moves are under way to set up an Emission Inspection
Unit at the department.
The roadside tests are expected to compliment emission testing
carried out with over 200 fixed and mobile emission testing centers
throughout the country.
Dissanayaka said lower vehicle emissions minimize respiratory
illnesses and fuel wastage.
Hence the vehicle emission testing saves energy and money of the
public. |