SHILLONG: The ever increasing number of vehicles has raised serious questions over the city’s ability to deal with the trend in the days to come.
Already hit by traffic jams and air pollution due to emission by vehicles, the city would have to devise measures to effectively tackle the menace sooner than later.
Speaking on the matter, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said that the District Magistrates along with city police and the pollution control board have been undertaking extensive vehicle checking in the city to ensure that vehicles emit smoke within permissible limits.
Goyal added that all vehicle owners must get their pollution certificates failing which they will be heavily penalized.
An amount of Rs 135000 has already been realized from erring vehicles which flouted the Motor Vehicle Act norms, he informed.
East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkrang said that drives to check emission beyond permissible limit by vehicles will be intensified in the days to come.
Earlier, even the Meghalaya Eco-Friendly Students’ Union had also apprised the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner to immediately regularize pollution certificates of vehicles plying in the district. The same is mandatory under Section 190 (2) of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, they had argued.
The research conducted by MEFSU had also indicated that pollution levels had crossed permissible limits in and around the city.
