Sri Lanka Police will take strict legal action against vehicles emitting excessive black smoke on public roads, and are inviting the public to report offenders via WhatsApp, Deputy Inspector General W.P.J. Senadheera said on Thursday.
Senadheera, who heads Traffic Management and Road Safety, said operations will be carried out in coordination with motor vehicle inspectors to identify offending vehicles, conduct on-the-spot inspections, and take them into police custody where necessary.
Citizens can send the registration number or video evidence of a polluting vehicle to the police via WhatsApp on 070 3500525. Reports routed through the hotline will feed into enforcement action alongside routine traffic stops.
Police said the crackdown is aimed at rising incidents of vehicles releasing heavy smoke in urban areas, contributing to deteriorating air quality and hazardous driving conditions. Vehicle emissions have been a growing public complaint in Colombo and suburbs, where older buses, lorries and three-wheelers have been the main sources.
Under existing motor traffic law, vehicles emitting smoke above prescribed limits can be taken off the road and their owners fined, with operators required to obtain a fresh vehicle emissions test (VET) certificate before returning the vehicle to service. The WhatsApp mechanism is the first formal public reporting channel for smoke offences.
Source: Newswire.
