PUC centres mandatory at all petrol pumps of Swachh city

Indore: Indore district administration has instructed all petrol pumps on Friday to establish pollution under control (PUC) testing centres in its bid to combat air pollution. Failure to comply will result in punitive action. Also, a rigorous campaign will be launched to inspect fitness certificates of commercial vehicles, unfit ones will face strict action.The directive came during a meeting of district-level monitoring and implementation committee chaired by collector Asheesh Singh. The collector emphasised the need for a joint action plan and its effective implementation by all departments to improve air quality.As decided, strict action will be taken against industrial units causing pollution. Coal-operated industrial units have been directed to shift to PNG within a stipulated time, else strict action will be taken. Unfit vehicles and those without proper PUC certificates will be targeted. Singh stressed that fitness certificates must not be issued without thorough inspection of vehicles. He also directed that PUC certificates should be portal-based, ensuring transparency and accuracy.

Action will be taken against PUC operators issuing offline certificates without proper checks.The collector said that strict action would be taken against open burning of biomass and garbage. Besides, hotspot areas with high dust levels will be identified for mechanical sweeping and regular water sprinkling. “Continuous monitoring will be maintained to prevent stubble burning in fields around urban and rural areas. Challans will be issued for violations. It was reported that effective action already took place against stubble burning, with 25 FIRs registered and fines exceeding Rs 18 lakh imposed on 837 individuals,” he said.