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.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/08/27/news11.asp