PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Transport department recovered Rs 1.98 crore as penalties from pollution-related challans in the financial year 2024-25 from the Dehradun division that include Dehradun, Vikasnagar, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Roorkee, Tehri and Uttarkashi. The regional transport officer (Administration) of Dehradun division, Sandeep Saini informed that Dehradun, Rishikesh and Kashipur have been identified as cities which do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
The department has been taking continuous enforcement actions to control vehicular pollution. He informed that in the year 2024–25, officials issued a total of 12,227 pollution-related challans. These include 3,181 in Dehradun, 2,070 in Rishikesh, 2,127 in Vikasnagar, 1,713 in Haridwar, 2,087 in Roorkee, 735 in Tehri and 314 in Uttarkashi. He also informed that a two-day special campaign was also conducted on Wednesday and Thursday across multiple locations.
Teams in Dehradun, Vikasnagar, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Roorkee, Tehri and Uttarkashi participated in the campaign. He informed that enforcement officers issued pollution-related challans after checking 676 vehicles, including 205 in Dehradun, 58 in Vikasnagar, 44 in Rishikesh, 85 in Haridwar and 171 in Roorkee. They conducted pollution checks using mobile labs and verified pollution levels of various vehicle types, including buses, taxis, loaders, autos, and private vehicles.
Saini said that during the checks, 30 vehicles were found to exceed permissible pollution limits. Owners of these vehicles received notices to present their vehicles in roadworthy condition within seven days. Failure to do so will require further action at the respective enforcement offices, he added.
