Authorities have adopted new measures in Delhi before the start of the air pollution increase period. One of the key rules is the requirement 'No Pollution Certificate, No Fuel'. According to this regulation, drivers will not be issued fuel at gas stations if their vehicle lacks a valid PUC (Pollution Under Control certificate).
To ensure compliance with this rule, automated equipment has been installed at about 500 refueling stations in Delhi. These stations are equipped with cameras connected to a transport database. The system scans the vehicle's number and verifies the validity of its PUC.
As soon as a vehicle without a valid PUC arrives at the pump, the system recognizes its number and automatically declares that the vehicle does not have a valid pollution certificate. As a result, such a vehicle is immediately blocked from receiving fuel. This means that the vehicle owner must obtain a PUC before they can refuel with gasoline or diesel.
Furthermore, the government has provided the option to obtain a PUC directly at the gas station. Kiosks for obtaining the certificate are installed at many petrol pumps. If the vehicle's PUC is invalid, the owner can obtain it right there, after which they will be allowed to refuel. Thus, the driver will not have to visit other institutions to get the certificate.
Although the vehicle owner without a PUC may be given a certain period to obtain it, sanctions may follow if the certificate is not obtained within the specified period. Such vehicles may be fined up to 10 thousand rupees. Indeed, the problem of pollution becomes serious in Delhi every winter, and air quality worsens with the drop in temperature. Therefore, the government adopted these measures before the pollution starts to intensify.
Currently, this system operates at approximately 500 refueling stations, using cameras, a transport database, and automatic announcements to implement this rule. Although it remains an open question how much these steps will affect the level of pollution in Delhi, the effect of these measures will become apparent in the near future. Currently, the government's efforts are focused on restricting the movement of vehicles without a valid PUC and controlling pollution before it escalates.
