Hyderabad: Pollution testing vans in the city are leaving no chance to mint money. Even if a vehicle does not meet the norms to get a pollution under control certificate, some of these mobile testing vans will issue the original certificates for a slightly higher price.
 
Apart from the 152 licensed pollution testing vehicles, there are a number of unauthorised vans which issue PUC certificates.
 
“We issue certificates even if there is higher pollution level. Many vehicle owners, who do not maintain pollution levels as per guidelines, request us to issue a certificate without testing their vehicles. It’s a common practice,” said a person who works for pollution testing vehicle at Bahadurpura.
 
Another operator running an unauthorised van near City College said, “Smoke from certain vehicles irritates me, so I do not test them. What people need is PUC certificate, and I issue it.” He added, “No official will ask you about its credibility, it’s common.”
 
There are more than 40 lakh vehicles plying on the roads, with hundreds being added every month. Additionally, Hyderabad’s air pollution has been officially declared by Pollution Control Board as not fit to breathe.
 
“Like cops testing the alcohol permissible levels in the drunken driving tests, officials must test the credibility of such PUC certificates which are issued by private persons,” said Ramu, a commuter in the city. Officials were clueless about such malpractices being carried out  by unauthorised pollution testing vehicles.
 
“It has come to our notice that there are several unauthorised pollution testing vans in the city. We will soon initiate action against them,” said Road Transport Authority joint commissioner Raghunath

Source: DC