RAWALPINDI: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and Rawalpindi traffic police have been directed to take action against smoke-emitting vehicles, especially the public transport vehicles, to prevent smog in the city.

The directives were issued by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha during a meeting held to review environmental pollution and smog in the division, says a press release on Monday.

The commissioner also asked the owners of the vehicles to obtain fitness certificates from the Vehicle Inspection and Verification System (VICS) Centre in Rawat before hitting the road. He also asked the environment department to monitor the brick kilns and ensure their transition to zigzag technology.

RTA Secretary Rashid Ali, Deputy Director Agriculture Sadia Bano, senior officials of the environment department and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) were present in the meeting. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Goods Transport Association (GTA).

Mr Chatha informed the meeting participants that the proposal to build truck stands at Losar and Sangjani was under consideration. In this regard, he constituted a committee in which the RTA secretary, the RDA director, the city traffic officer and three members of the GTA have been included.

The commissioner has directed the committee to submit their suggestions at the earliest so that the process of constructing the truck stand could be initiated.

“The axle load management is a crucial element as it not only causes accidents but also leads to road depletion and air pollution,” he said, adding: “An FIR would be registered against the truck drivers and the crasher owners involved in overloading”.

While providing details about the operations carried out in Rawalpindi Division, the RTA officials claimed that 878 vehicles were checked by the Authority and the police in the last month, out of which 608 were challaned and 50 were impounded. They informed the meeting that a total fine of more than Rs1.6 million was imposed.

The commissioner directed the RTA and the traffic police officials that the impounded vehicles should never be released without obtaining a fitness certificate from the VICS.

Meanwhile, the Environment Department officials informed the meeting that there were 126 brick kilns in Rawalpindi and during the inspection, 18 were given notice for violating SOPs. Besides this, they said seven FIRs were registered, 12 kilns were sealed and a fine of Rs900,000 was imposed.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2023