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Haryana Police Fine Tata Curvv EV For ‘Pollution’ - Should We Laugh Or Just Wonder At Another Desi Blunder
A Tata Curvv EV owner in Haryana was issued a ₹10,000 challan for pollution by regional police - despite the vehicle being an EV, which produces zero tailpipe emissions. The fine was part of a traffic enforcement action that also included a separate ₹2,000 fine for alleged overspeeding, though the challan reportedly did not specify the recorded speed.
The incident came to light after the EV owner shared screenshots of the e-challan online, including images of his Tata Curvv EV with its green number plate, which typically designates zero-emission vehicles. The screenshots showed the vehicle cited under pollution violation codes, triggering disbelief among social media users.
Netizens quickly reacted to the post, questioning how an electric car - widely understood to produce no exhaust emissions - could be penalised under air pollution norms. The incident drew significant attention, with many users joking about the logic and calling the fine "illogical" or "unjustified." Some comments referenced electricity generation sources, highlighting broader debates over indirect emissions.
Following the online backlash, the Haryana Police responded publicly, asking the EV owner to share contact details so the matter could be reviewed and clarified. This suggested that authorities might revisit the challan coding or context after scrutiny.
Separate fines for overspeeding in such challans have also drawn criticism when speed figures are not documented clearly on the challan itself, leading to calls for greater transparency in traffic enforcement.
This incident highlights occasional administrative errors when enforcement systems interact with emerging vehicle technologies such as electric cars, and underscores the importance of clear criteria and oversight in traffic challans. And this is not th first time a blunder like this has happened.
A few years ago in Kerala, one of the first implementors of the AI traffic camera setup, an Ather electric scooter owner was challaned for not producing a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. While the fine was a lot less harsh, it just shows that automating everything isn't exactly the way to go in the future.
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