How many vehicles checked for pollution, HC asks police, govt

New Delhi: How many vehicles have been checked and fines imposed for causing pollution since August, the Delhi High Court asked the traffic police and transport department of the AAP government on Tuesday.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar sought the information and an action plan from the authorities on how they intended to ensure compliance of the law and rules regarding polluting vehicles.

The bench said if the authorities are able to address the issue of air pollution by inspection of vehicular emission, "then air quality in the city would improve positively".

The court sought the data with regard to inspections carried out at the entry points to the national capital.

The bench also sought information regarding vehicle inspections carried out by cops in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the police stations of Daryaganj, Dhaula Kuan, ISBT, Anand Vihar, Nehru Place, Raja Garden, Nangloi, Laxmi Nagar and Mukarba Chowk.

The bench said it was now monitoring issuance of traffic challans, availability of public toilets and functioning of sewage instead of the Delhi government which has to carry out these administrative functions.

It directed the transport department and the traffic police to provide the information sought before the next date of hearing on November 30.

The court was hearing a plea by an NGO, Campaign for People Participation in Development Planning, alleging that the rise in vehicle-generated air pollution in Delhi was due to "non-enforcement and non-implementation" of the 1988 Motor Vehicle Act, which prescribes punishment for driving a polluting vehicle.