Complaint regarding Vehicle Pollution testing centers

From

K.J.Peter,

Kizhavana, M4/99,

Indira Nagar,

 Kadavanthra,

Kochi, 682020.

To   Central Pollution Control Board l

Sub : Air pollution in Kochi City and suburbs- complaint            

         Reg –

Ref : Reports that have appeared in newspapers and my              correspondences with authorities concerned for the past few years 

Sir    

             I have been maintaining a file on air pollution in Kochi city with clippings from newspapers and my correspondences in this regard  with the authorities concerned for the past few years .

          My main concern was the smoke emanating from the vehicles ie auto rickshaw to heavy vehicles like buses and lorries in spite of the mandatory checking of vehicles twice a year by state approved pollution testing centres .

         Kochi city witnesses heavy traffic of light vehicles to heavy vehicles throughout the day  which pollutes the air heavily in addition to other pollutants from certain factories located in and around Kochi .

            Based on the complaints from certain peoples residing at Eloor, the industrial hub of Kochi, your elite office had intervened in the matter as learnt from newspaper reports . Vyttila Jn , nearby is the most heavily polluted area as per newspaper reports .

          I had been following up  the issue with certain departments for the past few years .Due to my curiosity to know the reasons behind the air pollution in the city, I found out that the villain behind the air pollution is the smoke emanating from the vehicles and the fake “ pollution under control “ certificates being issued by the testing centres . It was embarrassing to know that the certificates being issued by the testing centres have nothing to do with the real readings and that they issue the certificates with readings within the permissible limit   .so as to save the owners of vehicles from taking any corrective measures to reduce pollution .

          My queries  under the R T I Act some 10 years ago with the departments such as Legal Metrology revealed that there is no mechanism with them to calibrate and seal the machines at  the testing centres.

        They also informed me that M/s Keltron ( A govt of Kerala undertaking )had been entrusted with the calibration  of machines . But nothing has happened so far 

        In short , the pollution testing centres are functioning just to provide an income to operators as well as to M. V Dept and  Local bodies which provide them with other licenses to run the centres .

        Hence I humbly request that steps may be taken to put an end to the above illegal practice of issuing fake certificates on pollution which leads to respiratory issues to the elders as well as children residing in the city .

                                                                  Thanking you

Kadavanthra                                            Yours respectfully

20- 2-2023                                                         K.J.Peter