Have you ever covered your face on seeing a moving bus on the road? When one travels along the Attingal- Varkala route and also on the routes where private buses ply, in the city outskirts it is hard to find a person moving without either tying a handkerchief on his or her face or covering nose with the hand.
Fossil fuel combustion has been pointed out as the largest contributor of air pollution in all vehicles. Even though private buses are less in districts when compared to that in other districts, the ones that exist has been polluting the entire environment. However the district is all set to accept the title ‘polluted’ with both private and some KSRTC buses plying without conducting any smoke test and possessing emission certificates. Every vehicle, including that used for public transport, has to get an emission certificate.
“When we see a vehicle emitting black smoke, we either slap a fine or seize the vehicle. It is only after a repair work that we return the vehicle,” Thiruvananthapuram Regional Transport Officer K M Shaji said.
Smoke from these vehicles considerably escalates toxic chemicals in the air. However, apart from causing irritation to the eyes, nose and lungs, these chemicals also affect general health. There are many independent agencies which tests and gives emission certificates. As far as KSRTC buses are concerned, they are subjected to smoke check but even then many are spotted without emission certificates.
“There are around 100 private buses here and sources said that around 30 per cent of them, when checked recently, emit black smoke, badly polluting the environment. The Motor Vehicles Department will act tough against those not possessing the certificate. If any such vehicle is brought to our notice, we will take action. We will withdraw the registration papers of the erring buses and will only return them once the buses are repaired,” Shaji said.