Indifferent from growing number of vehicles in Ranchi, the capital city is managing with only one centre for making pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Noticing this crunch, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) had asked the district transport department to establish more such centers but no action has been taken by the latter till date.
“Two months back we had requested the district transport department to increase the number of centres as the common man has to undergo troubles in making such certificate for Rs 50 only but till now we have not received any response,” a senior officer of JSPCB said.
Traffic Police who check people driving without helmet, driving with triple load or in tinted window glass in cars often come across motorists from the outskirts of Ranchi who are not aware on how and where to approach for this pollution clearance vehicle approval.
A lady traffic constable at Albert Ekka Chowk said, “Most of the urban people of Ranchi have this certificate mentioning that their vehicle does not pollute the environment by emitting harmful gases but when it comes to checking the villagers’ two or three wheelers, they seem clueless on where to go for this document.” The fine for not having this certificate charges around Rs 900. “looking the innocence of villagers we do not take the fine. In fact, we suggest them the route to Kutchery’s PUC centre and they follow our advices.”
Notably, motorists are supposed to have this certificate at an interval of a year. In April, JSPCB had decided to deploy pollution checking equipments which would instantly examine the pollution levels but unfortunately nothing was done on this decision. “Kutchery is too far from my home. That is the reason, I have never applied for this certificate,” said a resident of Kadru.