Roadside emission tests in full swing
Chamikara WEERASINGHE
The Motor Traffic Department yesterday said they have mobilized their
vehicle emission testing programmes throughout the island. All vehicles
driven on roads must comply with the emission regulation standards
established by the Central Environment Authority.
"We will take off air polluting vehicles the roads," said the
Department's Vehicle Emission Testing Project Director A W Dissanayaka.
The Department issued repair notices to 60 motor vehicles after
roadside checks conducted by its emission inspectors in Kandy last week.
Dissanayaka said the owners of these vehicles are supposed to effect
repairs and bring them to vehicle emission centres.
The Department conducts roadside emission tests jointly with the
Central Environment Authority. "We are yet to establish full coverage of
the programme. However, we can safely say that the programme has been
mobilized in all districts," said Dissanayaka.
The Department needs more smog analyzers and opacity meters to fully
implement the programme, he explained. It has arranged to get more
equipment.
Dissanayaka said the public have responded positively to the
Department's vehicular emission control effort. "We have received 300
complaints so far from the public against motor vehicles that run on
roads emitting black smoke. We are attending to these complaints," he
said.
He said the Department has issued letters to the owners of these
vehicles to submit their vehicles for emission tests.
The procedure is envisioned to enhance vehicular emission control. If
vehicle owners were found to have failed to maintain their vehicles on a
regular basis, their revenue and driving licences will be held by the
police. Roadside emission tests are carried out by over 200 fixed and
mobile emission testing centres throughout the country. |