CAQM pulls up 3 states over fuel station camera lapse

The CAQM has summoned senior transport department officials of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh Governments for failing to install automated number plate recognition cameras at fuel stations in the states’ NCR districts by the September 30 deadline.

In three separate notices, all dated October 8, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) asked the three states’ transport commissioners and secretaries-in-charge of the transport departments to appear before it next week to explain the reasons for non-compliance.

“You are also directed to submit a comprehensive and updated status report — the reasons for delay in installation, integration and operationalisation of the automated number plate recognition (ANPR) based technology-enabled enforcement system — and a detailed, time-bound action plan for complete installation,” said the CAQM in the notices.

The notices relate to CAQM’s Direction 101, issued on May 15, which directed that, from October 1, fuel stations within the NCR shall not dispense fuel to vehicles without a valid PUCC, as identified through the ANPR system or other technology-enabled systems.

The Commission also directed authorities in Delhi and NCR states to ensure installation, integration, and operationalisation of systems like ANPR cameras, integrated with VAHAN and the PUCC database, at all fuel stations within their respective jurisdiction on or before September 30.

For Haryana, the system installation was planned for more than 2,700 fuel stations in the NCR districts. Similarly, Rajasthan had 362, and Uttar Pradesh 987.

As of September 30, no installation or deployment activity for the ANPR camera systems had commenced at any of these fuel stations, according to the notices.

“Despite the aforesaid statutory direction, periodic reviews, and communications requiring submission of the status of implementation, including the communications, no compliance report or other material demonstrating compliance with the aforesaid direction has been received by the Commission till date,” the CAQM said in the notices.

“Take further notice that failure to submit the requisite explanation/status report and to appear before the Commission on the scheduled date and time, without sufficient cause, shall be viewed seriously,” it added.

In a separate development related to the CAQM, the Commission on Friday also announced that it has constituted a 15-member expert sub-committee to identify areas in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh where any pollution source is located, hurting air quality in the NCR.

The expert sub-committee must submit its report within two months.