Akbar gets emission testing contract

Ravi LADDUWAHETTY

Cleanco Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, an Akbar Brothers Ltd subsidiary with a Rs. 1 billion investment has been awarded a Government tender for vehicle emission testing and will be establishing 16 centres islandwide for the purpose.

Cleanco is a joint-venture managed by Hydropower International (Pvt) Ltd and Akbar Brothers Limited, promoted by the Industrial Services Bureau.

The Government invited proposals for this project in 2003 and despite it taking five years, Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world today to have this project and most certainly the first in the SAARC region to do so, Akbar Brothers Director Asgi Akberally told Daily News Business yesterday.

The project, dubbed as DriveGreen, Sri Lanka’s first vehicle emission testing program will have 16 fixed stations and 50 mobile stations countrywide.

The fixed stations and the mobile stations in the Western Province will be Welisara, Malabe, Kiribathgoda, Moratuwa, Gampaha, Nego-mbo, Kalutara, Homagama, Horana Negombo, Avissawella and Nittambuwa.

The outstation fixed stations will be in Kandy, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Ampara, Batticaloa, Aluth-gama Ratnapura, Kurunegala, and Badulla.

The DriveGreen vehicle emission testing programme forms one important link in the chain of events in the state initiative to reduce air pollution which happens through noxious, harmful vehicle exhaust fumes and create a healthier environment for future generations, Akberally said.

It is now compulsory for vehicle owners to obtain the Vehicle Emission Test (VET) certificate to renew the annual revenue licences or register new vehicles.

CleanCo has invested in high quality, specialised testing equipment for fixed and mobile testing stations from Environment Systems Products of USA.