The vehicle emission testing programme, aimed at regulating the amount of fuel fumes released to the air by vehicles will be implemented from today. The programme, designed by the Environmental and Natural Resources Ministry in collaboration with the Transport Ministry, will be launched today with the opening of the first two emission testing centres at Kiribathgoda and Miriswatta junction on the Colombo-Kandy highway. In terms of the initiative, entitled 'Haritha Riya', 66 fixed and mobile testing centres are to be established islandwide, authorised to issue VET (Vehicle Emission Testing) certificates to vehicles which comply with the emission standards set by the Government. Once the programme is fully implemented, the VET certificate will be a mandatory requirement for vehicle owners to obtain their annual revenue license. "The objective of the 'Haritha Riya' programme is to improve the air quality in Sri Lanka by regulating emissions of the transport sector, which accounts for more than half of the total fuel consumption of the country," a Transport Ministry spokesman said. Two private companies accredited by the Motor Traffic Department, CleanCo Lanka and Laugfs Eco Sri, have taken up the construction and operation of the testing centres.