Countries across the globe are reeling under the pressure of rising levels of air pollution. India is touted as one of the most adversely affected nations from air pollution, which has now become a serious health issue. As per data, a staggering 27% of the air pollution levels in the country are due to vehicles and transportation. According to a study, at least 140 million people in India breathe air that is 10 times or more over the WHO safe limit. In light of such figures, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has been taking rising levels of air pollution due to vehicles seriously and hence as mentioned in the Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, it is mandatory for all vehicles to have an updated and valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.
A PUC certificate is an official document that validates the fact that the emission levels of your vehicle are within the permissible limits as mandated by the Motor Vehicle Act, 1989. Different classes of vehicles have a different permissible level of pollution that can be emitted. Hence, different classes of vehicles require different types of PUC certificates. Through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ online portal, Parivahan Sewa, people can now check their PUC certificate status. A PUC certificate contains details such as the registration number of the vehicle, the serial number of the PUCC, the date on which the emission test was conducted, PUC test date of validity and emission test reading of the vehicle.
A PUC certificate is a mandatory document that every vehicle must have. Failure to produce a valid PUC certificate will have you penalised by the traffic police. You would then have to check your e-challan status and pay your dues, which you can do online as well as offline. Apart from the fact that a PUC certificate is a mandatory requirement, the other advantages of getting a PUC certificate for your vehicle are:
- It keeps you away from getting penalised
Since it is a mandatory requirement to carry a PUC certificate with you, ensuring that this particular document is updated and is with you whenever you take your vehicle on the road can keep you away from getting an e-challan issued against you. Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, a PUC violation can have you pay a fine of Rs. 10,000.
- It makes you more environmentally friendly
A PUC certificate is issued to your vehicle only when it has emission levels that fall under the predefined range of emission by the government. So getting your vehicle checked at the required time will help you, and the government, be aware of how much your vehicle is contributing to the pollution levels in the environment. This will help you take more environmentally friendly decisions and will also help in reducing air pollution.
- It improves your vehicle’s performance
With new vehicles, a PUC certification is issued that is valid for a period of 1 year. After that, it is mandatory that a vehicle be tested for its emission levels every 6 months and then would be granted a PUC certification. Hence, if in case your vehicle has emission levels that are on the higher side, you can get to know if there are any problems with your vehicle and get it checked and rectified.
Nyla Sharon