Cops challan over 500 vehicles for not having PUC

In a move to tackle heavy pollution levels in the national capital, Delhi Police today launched a special drive taking action against hundreds of vehicle owners flouting pollution related norms.

A total of 568 vehicles were challaned for not having pollution under control certificate (PUC).

During the Special drive to check pollution, 236 non-distant vehicles, those having no permission to enter the national capital, were returned at Delhi borders and denied entry into the city.

Also, over 5000 old looking vehicles were checked out of which 11 were found more than 15 years old and were impounded.

The high pollution needed “extra-ordinary” steps to be taken to check the pollution causing vehicles. The drive will continue till the pollution levels come down, said Joint Commissioner of Police Garima Bhatnagar.

“The drive will continue till next week till pollution levels go down. It will continue further till the pollution levels decrease,” she said.

The traffic police has now increased scope of its work by vehicle inspections on larger scale, specially regarding pollution, in view of the deteriorated air conditions, the officer said.

“Because pollution has spiked we are doing vehicle checking more stringently and in much larger numbers.” 

During the drive, more than 50 major construction works were also stopped by the police.

The Delhi government yesterday started a process of deregistering 15-year-old diesel vehicles in the city and also imposed a ban on use of fire crackers except for religious functions, following directions from Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to bring down air pollution.

Delhi Transport Department and police have been directed not to allow entry of overloaded trucks and non-destined trucks in the city entering from Rajasthan, UP, Haryana and other states with immediate effect.