One pollution checking centre for 15000 vehicles in JK

Srinagar:  There are nearly sixteen lakh vehicles registered in Jammu and Kashmir and the number of pollution centres remains grossly inadequate as average load on single centre is around 15000 vehicles in the state.

J&K’s Transport Commissioner, in an affidavit before Jammu and Kashmir High Court, revealed that there are only a few pollution checking centres in Kashmir Valley.

In all 138 pollution centres have been registered in the state but most of them are “defunct.”

“In Jammu and Kashmir 15,60,644 vehicles are registered. 138 Pollution checking Centers have been issued authorizations for checking of pollution emission. Out of which many are defunct. The average load per Pollution Checking Centers is about 15,000 vehicles which needs to be reduced,” the Transport Commissioner said.

The officer submitted that for arresting vehicular pollution, the department was working on “three pronged strategy”.

In the first one, the department aims to make the existing pollution checking centers compliant to the mandated norms.

“The state pollution board and motor vehicle department have re-inspected pollution checking centers of which licenses were suspended. Report from SPCB in respect of 14 pollution checking

centers has been received which have fulfilled and complied with the requirements and shortcomings. Fourteen (14) pollution checking centers have been restored. Now 25 pollution checking centers are working in kashmir division,” the officer said.

Second part of the strategy, the transport commissioner said, is directed at increasing the number of Pollution Checking Centers across the State for which “expression of interest has been called”.

“With a view to increasing the number of Pollution Checking Centers across the State, Public Notice has been issued for inviting applications from interested persons and agencies and from owners of fuel stations for setting up of Pollution Checking Centers.

Lastly, the department aims to set up of Pollution Checking Centers at the every fuel station in the State. In this regard, the transport commissioner on September 21 convened a meeting and impressed upon all the fuel companies to open Pollution Checking Centers in each of their retail fuel outlets. As per information, there are 516 fuel stations across the State.