EPA Issues Strict Orders for HTV Inspections to Fight Smog
The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a strict order requiring all educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and industrial establishments to have their Heavy Transport Vehicles (HTVs) inspected and certified for emissions, as part of the province’s intensified campaign against smog.
According to the notification issued by EPA Director General Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh on November 24, faulty and poorly maintained vehicles have been identified as a major cause of air pollution during the winter smog season. The order cites Section 15 of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997, which prohibits operating any vehicle that emits pollutants or noise beyond the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards.
The EPA has directed that all HTVs used for student and staff pick-and-drop, including buses, coasters, vans, and industrial transport, must undergo inspection through the Vehicle Inspection & Certification System (VICS) operated by the Transport Department. Vehicles that fail to meet the required standards will not be issued certification.
The notification warns that any violation will result in action under the environmental laws, including fines and possible impoundment of non-compliant vehicles. Under the Punjab Environmental Protection (Motor Vehicles) Rules 2013, vehicles may be seized with assistance from local police if they continue to operate despite directions or penalties.
Moreover, the Excise & Taxation Department has been asked to share data of all registered HTVs owned by these institutions with district environment officers to support enforcement.
The notification also states that EPA field officers have been directed to inspect institutional HTVs, issue direction slips where needed, and impound vehicles that fail to comply within the given deadline. Weekly compliance reports are to be submitted to the DG EPA.
These steps are essential to address the country’s worsening air quality, especially in Punjab, where multiple cities, including Lahore, rank among the world’s most polluted on the IQAir index every year during these months.
