If vehicles are not properly maintained the environmental benefits of improved vehicular technology are lost. Poorly maintained vehicles are major contributors to air pollution and therefore programmes to identify and rectify these are essential for a cleaner environment.

Recognising the urgent need to increase awareness on the importance of periodic maintenance of vehicles, SIAM has been organising a series of pollution check clinics in several cities.

Focussing on Issued : Chief Guest Mr D.G. Jadav delivering the inaugural address.

In accordance with its commitment to reducing pollution from ill-maintained in-use vehicles, SIAM, in association with the Transport Department, Government of Maharashtra, organised a three-day Inspection & Maintenance (I&M) Clinic for petrol passenger cars and two wheelers at Bandra Reclamation Ground, Mumbai from 18th to 20th May, 2001.

Mr D.G. Jadav, Acting Transport Commissioner, Government of Maharashtra, lights the inaugural lamp.

Free emission tests were conducted during the three day I&M Clinic, Drivers of vehicles passing the emission test without any need for adjustments and repairs were issued free PUC Certificates, besides booklets on fuel efficient driving and simple maintenance tips. Vehicles that did not meet the norms were rectified free of cost, while those that could not be rectified were given detailed advice on repairs to enable them to meet the emission norms.

In the computerised PUC system model, modern emission testing equipment is attached to a computer, printer and a digital camera to capture the registration number of the vehicle. The test certificate generated by the computer is free from manual intervention and manipulation as all particulars of vehicles. In addition to the recorded emission values and the picture of the number plate, are transferred directly plate, are transferred directly from the computer onto the certificate.

"The problem of pollution is aggravated due to the lack of maintenance culture amongst vehicle users. The PUC system is beset with several problems: Moreover, the facility for checking road worthiness of the relatively smaller population of transport vehicles is also inadequate, resulting in a grim scenario with regard to pollution."

Mr D.G. Jadav.