In view of the snowballing issue of pollution in Mumbai, the city traffic police have issued a directive to its lower rank, instructing the personnel to take strict legal action against vehicles violating norms set down to mitigate dust pollution. The authorities have also instructed that action be taken against vehicles without a fitness certificate and fine those whose pollution under control (PUC) certificates are not updated. According to traffic officials, directions were issued recently and will be implemented from Wednesday. An officer said that relevant action will be taken against vehicles carrying all types of construction material without having covered it properly. "With so many infrastructure and construction projects underway in the city, construction materials including ready mix are being ferried to sites in trucks and mixers. However, most of the time the material is inadequately covered, due to which the material keeps falling off onto the roads and streets, adding to air pollution. Due to this, it is deemed necessary to take action against such vehicles and owners," said an officer. Additionally, officials said that commercial vehicles whose fitness limit of eight years has expired, and they do not carry a fitness certificate will be impounded, and sent to the regional transport office concerned for action. As per the directives, vehicles that do not have a valid pollution under control certificate, and those using modified silencers will also not be spared, the officer said.
