Gurgaon: Petrol and diesel will not be supplied to vehicles without a valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC) at fuel stations in the city, as the district administration moves to enforce directions of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to curb vehicular pollution, effective from Oct 1.The administration held a meeting with petrol pump operators on Thursday and directed them to check the validity of a vehicle’s PUCC before dispensing fuel. The operators have also been asked to put up boards, banners and notices informing motorists of the requirement. Gurgaon has 306 petrol pumps and 78 CNG stations.The automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras that are expected to automate the checks have not yet been installed at fuel stations in the district. Their procurement and installation by the transport department are still in process.“We held a meeting with petrol pump operators today and informed them about the guidelines and steps that need to be taken. Since the ANPR cameras will take some time to be installed, operators have been asked to create awareness among motorists and manually check PUCCs in the meantime,” the official said.“Until the camera-based system is ready, the transport department, district food and supplies department, and traffic police will carry out random vehicle checks. Vehicles found without a valid PUCC will face action under the Motor Vehicles Act and applicable environmental rules,” the official said.Gurgaon is to get 249 ANPR cameras at fuel stations under the first phase of Haryana’s project to install 775 cameras across four NCR districts: Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat and Jhajjar. Of the 775 cameras, 215 are planned for Sonipat, 195 for Jhajjar and 116 for Faridabad. The first phase has an estimated cost of Rs 41.7 crore. The wider plan is to install 2,780 ANPR cameras across Haryana.The cameras are intended to identify end-of-life vehicles at fuel stations and enable electronic enforcement of the PUCC requirement and environmental norms.Vehicle owners have been advised to renew their pollution certificates on time and carry a valid PUCC to avoid being denied fuel or facing a penalty.CAQM’s directive seeks to curb vehicular emissions by making a valid PUCC mandatory for refuelling across the NCR. Under the direction, fuel can be dispensed only to vehicles producing a valid PUCC, with the measure aimed at reducing emissions of PM2.5, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) from vehicles. The directive also provides for technology-based enforcement through ANPR cameras at fuel stations, which can identify vehicles and check their compliance status. CAQM had earlier directed NCR states to adopt such systems to identify end-of-life vehicles and deny them fuel.
