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Emission standards

the government of Assam seems to have finally woken up to growing vehicular pollution in the state. In a major policy decision, the government has decided to issue licenses to private parties to open auto-emission testing centres all over the state. According to the transport department, the number of checking centres available to the department is not sufficient to check over 500,000 registered vehicles.

Nor are there enough employees to carry out the tests. In order to keep a tab on the functioning of the privately-run testing centres, the departments own smoke meters will be put to use on vehicles certified by the testing centres.

If any licencee takes advantage of the situation, his permit will be cancelled, warned transport commissioner P K Dutta. Earlier, the Assam Human Rights Commission had asked the government to check pollution by enlisting the services of private parties for checking auto emissions. The government has called for applications from eligible private parties to set up auto-emission testing centres from all over the state.

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