Team Herald
PANJIM: From July 1, all automobile manufacturing units in Goa will be bound to provide the pollutant values of all kinds of petrol, diesel and CNG vehicles along with the noise level of horns installed on it, to its customers.
In a bid to curb rising air and noise pollution in the country, the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways has issued an advisory to all the State governments including Goa and Union Territories, to issue specific directions to the automobile manufacturing units, testing agencies and state transport authorities to ensure that air pollutant values of each purchased car are made available to the dealers and the end users.
“With effect from July 1, 2016, Original Equipment Manufacturers are directed to publish the air pollutant value, noise level of horns of the vehicles, in form of leaflets, to be made available to the end purchaser of the vehicles, prior to purchase, at the point of sale,” the Advisory issued by Under Secretary Dharkat Luikang reads.
The advisory is been issued following directives passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its order dated November 26, 2015, wherein it has directed the Union Ministry to issue a appropriate notification so that a common purchaser of the vehicle should know before making purchase, knows various types of emission levels. Also, Ministry needs to issue necessary directions wherever required to the manufacturing unit, if the Emission Levels are changed.
“We have received the communication from the Union Ministry. It will come into effect from July 1. The automobile stakeholders will be consulted on the issue and briefed about the same before issuing the directions,” a senior official at the Secretariat said.
The manufacturer has to provide a detail data on the value of air pollutant including carbon monoxide, hydro carbon, non-methane hydro carbon, and others.
Though, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) data reveals that the air pollution in the major State cities are under permissible level, with increasing vehicular traffic, the solution seems to be perfect. On an average, 70,000 vehicles are added to the vehicular population every year.
With increasing air pollution, Delhi government has adopted Odd –Even formula to curb the vehicular pollution. The Supreme Court has also upheld NGT order banning purchase of new Diesel vehicles in Delhi.
