Oct 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka, under its Vehicle Emission Testing Programme, plans to import gas analyzers to carry out comprehensive roadside inspections and to measure air pollution levels in the country.

The government will spend close to Rs. 50 million to import 45 gas analyzers at Rs. 1.1 million each from Germany Project Director of the Vehicle Emission Testing Programme, A.W. Dissanayake has said. The equipment would be received by the end of the year.

He has explained that two machines would be distributed to each district and the remaining machines would be allocated to the Motor Traffic Department and the Central Environment Authority (CEA).

According to Dissanayake, the new equipment would help monitor dangerous gas levels in the air and monitor vehicles that emit smoke and noise over the recommended standards.

He has added that it was the lack of the required equipment that had prevented the authorities from taking strict action in relation to air pollution.

The Vehicle Emission Testing Programme is currently engaged in introducing a comprehensive maintenance and auditing process.