Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 3 / Trend H. Bagirov /
Baku police fined 2,500 drivers in August for driving cars that emit exhaust fumes exceeding permitted levels of pollution, Baku State Traffic Police spokesman Jamshid Hanifayev told Trend.
Police actions were carried out at 35 transportation agencies, Hanifayev said, and harmful emissions were detected in the exhaust fumes of 278 out of 1,001 cars examined. After corrective measures, emissions were decreased to permitted levels in 191 cars.
Azerbaijani authorities earlier declared 2010 to be the "Year of Ecology".
During August, which was designated "Clean Air" month by Baku authorities, the department checked cars at various agencies, departments and organizations. The amounts of harmful emissions were determined with the help of special equipment imported from abroad.
The police department also carried out spot-checks on Baku's roads, examining 6000 vehicles. Harmful emissions were detected in the exhaust fumes of 2,151 of these vehicles and their owners were fined under Article 155.2.1 of the Administrative Violations Code.
According to the law, drivers operating defective, unrepairable vehicles that emit pollutants exceeding permitted levels must pay a penalty of 20- 30 manat.
Motor vehicles are responsible for 60 percent of the total air pollution in Azerbaijan.