KUALA LUMPUR: Owners of diesel engine vehicles, mostly small lorries, should take note that the Department of Environment will be going after them if they release excessive black smoke.
They would receive summonses by mail and face the possibility of their vehicles being taken off the road, said Selangor DOE director Kalsom Abdul Ghani.
The DOE is beefing up its enforcement and, with the help of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the police, intends to book errant owners to help maintain air quality and prevent contamination and health hazards.
“The department is going all out to book them besides having checks at roadblocks.”
She said there had been instances when DOE enforcers found the vehicles to have failed their tests on the road but passed tests by the commercial vehicles inspection body, Puspakom because of tampering by the owners.
She warned them not to tamper with their fuel tanks with additives. Rather, she added, they should go for regular maintenance.
“In the long run, owners would be at the losing end if their vehicles continuously failed the DOE smoke detection tests. It is unthinkable that a lorry can pass a smoke test in an inspection for commercial vehicles (which is required of them every six months) but 10 days later fail DOE's spot checks,” she said.
Kalsom said more spot checks would be carried out at bus depots and terminals, and trunk roads to ensure motorists complied with the law.
Last year, 57 owners whose vehicles emitted more than 70 HSUs (Hartdridge smoke units) were given prohibition orders which barred their vehicles from the road.
The maximum fine is RM100,000 or five years' jail under the Environment Quality Act and Regulations to control the release of black smoke form diesel engines.
The public can alert the department of vehicles emitting excess black smoke by calling 03-55194787.
