Kerala: Pollution testing centres in Ernakulam under scanner

KOCHI:  With mounting complaints about the use of pirated software by pollution control testing centres in the district to issue Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates to vehicles, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has decided to initiate action against those centres. As a part of this, the department also kick-started a month-long drive titled 'Clean air Ernakulam'. A squad, under enforcement RTO K M Shaji, was also constituted to take action against such centres. If we find any type of pirated software in the centres, the license of such centres will be cancelled with immediate effect. The drive will start from May 1 onwards across the district, said M P Ajith Kumar, Deputy Transport Commissioner,Ernakulam.

According to the department, the issuing of showcause notice will be the first step to the centre using the pirated software. We will check whether the centres have the proper equipment to examine the vehicles and whether they display a proper rate chart. The centre has to submit a report to the RTO within one week of getting the showcause notice. If we find the centre functions again with the same software, the license will be suspended for three months.

If the centres continue to operate with the same pirated software, criminal procedure will be initiated, said an officer with the MVD.As per the norms specified by the CMV Act, a certification of a vehicle can be done within 25 minutes, but with the usage of pirated software, the centre can complete it in just 2 minutes. As per the findings released by the IMA, the pollution level in the city is high. Over 30,000 patients approached doctors citing symptoms of pulmonary diseases. The drive mainly aims to bring pollution levels under control, said the motor vehicle officer.The department also created dedicated Whatsapp numbers - 7025950100, 7025501300 - for the public to inform of any illegal pollution testing centre.