Automobile experts and scientists on Saturday expressed concern over “the faulty and unscientific” auto emission testing system in the city and pulled up the transport department for its failure to ensure effective functioning of the testing machines.

At a seminar organised by Bharat Chamber of Commerce, experts urged the government to take effective steps to streamline the emission testing system.

The speakers included transport minister Subhas Chakraborty, professor of mechanical engineering of Jadavpur University P.K. Bose, former member of the expert committee on environment S. Chatterjee, director of public vehicles department H. Mohan and automobile expert S.M. Ghosh.

Experts highlighted the efforts they made over the past few years to reduce auto emission. All their efforts would go up in smoke if the government did not strengthen the emission checking system.

Prof. P.K. Bose urged that all the auto emission testing centres be checked and calibrated regularly by expert agencies. “After the Centre’s notification on emission standard and the high court order, there is no compulsion on the part of vehicle-owners to replace their engines to conform to Bharat Stage-II. Emission standards were in place before the Centre issued the notification, but few cared to conform to them,’’ Bose said. He asked the government to consider introducing bio-fuel and pre-mixed fuel.

Former expert committee member Chatterjee criticised the PVD for failing to tackle the pollution menace.

Transport minister Subhas Chakraborty promised to take all steps to comply with the court order as well as the Centre’s guidelines within six months. “There are some loopholes in the existing system and we have to be more vigilant. Many auto emission testing centres are not functioning properly and the police often fail to book polluting vehicles. We are overhauling the system with modern equipment.’’ he said.

PVD director Mohan said the transport department was trying to computerise the emission testing system.

Train robbery: A lawyer of the Alipore court, Debabrata Chakraborty, was robbed of Rs 4,000 and gold ornaments by armed miscreants on a Lakshmikantapur-bound train early on Saturday. He was returning home from Visakhapatnam along with his family.