Hardeep Singh Doon, Superintendent of Police (Traffic), said the Chandigarh Pollution Control Board has given the machines to the police. Earlier, the police would launch the drives in coordination with the pollution board staff.

“It would help the traffic police to start an anti-pollution drive on their own. There would be no hassles of coordinating with the pollution control board. The officials of the board have their limitations and that used to hamper the drives,” he added.

J S Cheema, DSP (Traffic), said the machines would be carried in the vehicles used by the traffic police and can be set up at any place. At present, the traffic personnel are being trained to operate the machines. “We would soon start operating the machines on the city roads against the vehicles spreading pollution,” he added.

The machines are digital and print the slips with the contents of the components in vehicular emission. The machine-generated slips would help policemen gauge the pollution level. Sources said the police aims at cracking the whip on those commercial vehicles which enter the city without carrying their pollution certificates. “There are several vehicles registered outside the city. These need to be checked,” sources said.

Doon, however, said their main motive is to not issue challans to the citizens but to raise awareness. “Many people are not aware that their vehicle is causing environmental pollution. They will be asked to get their vehicles checked. The drive to issue challans to the violators would be launched later on,” he added.