MUMBAI, Oct. 28 -- Starting next week, RTOs will launch special drives to check polluting vehicles. This decision follows a recent crackdown (between October 1-15) which revealed that nearly 20% of vehicles on Mumbai's roads flouted air pollution norms. The decision to enforce stringent vehicle inspections across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) was also fuelled by concerns expressed by the Bombay High Court on October 22 regarding rising air pollution during the festive season, while hearing a PIL. Calling the quality of Mumbai's air "shocking" and noting that it had surpassed Delhi's pollution levels, the court pulled up civic authorities, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the police for failing to implement directives aimed at controlling air and noise pollution. A high-level committee was subsequently formed following a meeting held at the transport commissioner's office on October 23. It directed respective RTOs to implement the inspection drive. Action will also be taken against vehicles transporting construction material and other loose material without proper covering. People aware of the matter said between October 1 and 15, 5,821 of 31,899 vehicles in MMR, including 1,318 of 6,714 vehicles from four RTOs in Mumbai, were found flouting pollution norms. Fines amounting to Rs.6.20 crore were imposed of which Rs.1.92 crore has been recovered. "The drive will include checking of PUC certificates, fitness certificates and permits, as well as action against vehicles carrying loads beyond their permitted capacity," said an RTO officer. RTOs are expected to maintain daily records of the number of vehicles inspected, categories of violations detected, fines imposed and amounts recovered. They have been directed to submit monthly compliance reports to the transport commissioner's office following which necessary steps will be taken....