agencies
NEW DELHI, Nov 13: The Delhi Traffic Police issued more than 700 challans on Diwali to vehicle owners for driving without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, officials said on Monday.
On November 5, after the city's air quality plummeted to the 'Severe Plus' category, Stage IV of the Centre's pollution control plan -- Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) -- came into effect in Delhi. Under GRAP Stage IV, all kinds of construction work and the entry of polluting trucks into the city are banned.
GRAP -- a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the Delhi-NCR region in the winter season -- outlines actions under four different categories - Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI > 450).
Plying of old diesel or petrol vehicles and trucks carrying non-essential material in the national capital attracts a fine of Rs 20,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act. According to data shared by the police, 710 challans were issued on Diwali on Sunday (November 12) to vehicles operating without a valid PUC (PUC) certificate. A total of 584 challans and 1,085 notices were issued for obstructive or improper parking and 44 vehicles were towed away by traffic cranes. Also, 61 challans were issued for driving against the flow of traffic and 263 for violations for no-entry rules, respectively. In an effort to control non-destined goods vehicles, 915 were checked and 452 returned. Only vehicles carrying essential commodities with valid permission were allowed, the police said.
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