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ISO 9001:2015 Quality management certified institute
ISO 9001:2015 Quality management certified institute
English │
සිංහල │
தமிழ்

About Us

History of Vehicle Emission Test Programme
Vehicle Emission Test Trust Fund &
Project Office

The VET Trust Fund is a statutory government organization, serving as the exclusive regulatory authority overseeing the Vehicle Emission Testing Programme. Its primary objective revolves around the enhancement and regulation of Sri Lanka's vehicle emission testing initiative. Notably, the VET Fund plays a pioneering role in advancing air quality management within the country. Through collaborative efforts with partner organizations, it provides crucial support for research and projects aimed at elevating ambient air quality and optimizing traffic management. This mission is facilitated by a central project office located at the Department of Motor Traffic in Narahenpita. The project office boasts a proficient team comprising technically qualified experts in automobile and vehicular emissions, alongside office staff specializing in environmental science. Their responsibilities span diverse activities such as center auditing, on-road TESTING, complaint management, and awareness initiatives. The project office operates under the guidance of the Cabinet-approved AirMac committee, further underscoring its strategic and authoritative approach.

The establishment of the VET Trust Fund was approved by the cabinet under document number අමප /08/1514/354/054 on 3 Sep 2008. The main purpose of this initiative was to facilitate the VET program without burdening the treasury. Emission testing companies transfer an amount equivalent to 10% of the test fee to the VET fund. The VET fund is responsible for covering all government expenses associated with the implementation of the VET program. The VET trust fund is governed by a trust deed, which is signed by the secretary to the treasury and the board of trustees. The trust deed designates five individuals as trustees, each with their respective capacities. The trust deed outlines seven objectives that the funds can be utilized for, primarily focused on enhancing ambient air quality and traffic management in Sri Lanka. In accordance with the same cabinet paper, the Vehicle Emission Testing project office (VET Office) was established in 2010 under the Department of Motor Traffic. The VET Office operates to fulfill the seven objectives of the Vet Trust Fund. The operational head of the VET Office is the project director, who reports to the Director General of the VET Program. The Commissioner General of motor traffic acts in an official capacity as the Director General of VET Programme

Evolution of Vehicle Emission Testing Programme in Sri Lanka
Year Description
1989-91 A study of NBRO revealed the average of Dust Fall (DF) and Sulphation Rate (SR) were high in the Colombo area.
1991-92 CEA identified HC, CO, NO2, SO2 levels in ambient air were much above the WHO recommended levels.
1992 GOSL Developed Clean Air 2000 Action Plan (CA2AP) with the support of the World Bank.
1993-99 Vehicle emissions have been identified as the major culprit of ambient air pollution after several studies. (Mathes et al 1993, Chandrasiri 1999)
1994 Ministry of Environment gazetted the National Ambient air quality standard.
1994 DMT published in-use vehicle emission standard under vehicle regulation 817/6 for diesel vehicles at 80%.
1996 CEA received two fixed and one mobile ambient air quality monitoring stations to promote air quality standards and emission control measures.
1998 A petition was filed under article 126 of the constitution in the supreme Court against the Minister of Environment claiming that government’s inaction to address the high ambient air pollution levels in Colombo Metropolitan Area violates his fundamental right to breathe clean air.
1999 The Supreme Court directed Minister of Environment to gazette the regulation of vehicle emission, fuel quality and vehicle importer specification before 01.06.2000.
2000 Ministry of Environment published extraordinary gazette 1137/35 containing national environmental regulation 01 of 2000 to come into effect from 01 01 2003.
2001 With the collaboration of all stakeholders, Air Resource Management center was established to coordinate agencies, public presentation, policy development, capacity building, promoting research, etc.
2002 Lead (Pb) free fuel standard was gazetted.
2003 Amended emission standard was published under extraordinary gazette 1295/11 due to higher failure rates.
2003 Cabinet approval was granted to select appropriate private companies to start vehicle emission testing centers.
2007 Agreements signed with two selected companies (Laugf eco Sri (pvt) Ltd. and Drive Green (pvt) Ltd.) to execute vehicle emission testing centers island-wide.
2008 Republished the same standard (which was published in 2003) under extraordinary gazette 1557/14.
17.11.2008 Vehicle emission testing mechanism starts from the western province.
2008-2009 Establishment of Emission Testing Trust fund (VETTF) and a Project office with an intention to Auditing, Promoting, Awareness, and environmental protection & road safety activities.
2009 Vehicle emission testing process expanded to Southern, Central and North Central provinces.
2011 Vehicle emission testing process expanded to Eastern province.
2013 Vehicle emission testing process expanded to Northern province.
05.11.2014 Updated vehicle emission standard was published in the gazette.
2018 Established 9 Vehicle emission testing centers at SLTB depot to cover 9 provinces and granted approval to Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) to conduct vehicle emission testing of SLTB buses at their premises.
2018 VETTF funded to establish 2 fixed ambient air quality monitoring stations in Battaramulla and Kandy under the supervision of CEA and one mobile air quality monitoring station under the supervision of NBRO.
2018 Euro 4 emission standard for vehicle importation was published.

Past Project Directors
  • Mr. A. W Dissanayaka- 2010-2017
  • Eng. R. L. Molagoda (Acting)- 2018-2021
    • - Our Objectives -
    Establish and maintain a project office
    To establish and maintain a project office in the Department to facilitate the operation of the fund.
    Effectively implement the purpose of the Act
    To implement an efficient and effective monitoring and Evaluation programme to effectively implement the purpose of the Act
    Develop necessary infrastructure
    To develop necessary infrastructure to obtain emission testing equipment and such other equipment required for the execution of the VET monitoring programme.
    Obtain services of technical experts
    To obtain services interalia of technical advisors, consultants and other staff including a Secretary and Accountant to the trust required for the effective implementation of programmes associated with the Trust and Management of the Trust.
    Provide and develop facilities required for monitoring and evaluation VET program
    To provide and develop facilities necessary for the effective functioning of the VET Monitoring programme.
    Improve traffic management or Road Safety Activities
    To improve Traffic Management or Road Safety Activities that would facilitate the effectively implementation f the objects and purposes of the trust.
    Improve air quality and reduce health risk
    To monitor and conduct activities that would facilitate air quality improvements which will in turn result in reduced health risks and improved general living conditions inter alia to the public.

    VET Trust Fund and
    Project Office

    The Vehicle Emission Testing (VET) program office was initiated as per the cabinet approval අමප /08/1514/354/054 dated on 2008/09/03 aiming to control urban air pollution from motor vehicles. The VET trust fund was also established under the same cabinet decision to facilitate the VET programme without a burden to the treasury.

    The VET programme office was established to reduce air pollution, maintain an efficient fleet, purchase equipment, improve transport management, and conduct awareness programs.

    Stake Holder Institutes
    01Ministry of Environment

    - Development of policy and legislative framework for strengthen the Vehicle Emission standards.

    - Coordinating actions and strategies stipulated in Clean Air Action plan 2025 and other national environmental action plans related to VET program.

    - Establish nationwide ambient air quality monitoring network for air quality monitoring

    - Research, Development fostered and Impact Assessment of Air Pollution

    - Development of Information Knowledgebase & Human Resources for Effective AQM

    - Establish sustainable Financing Mechanism for AQM and Identify priority projects to be submitted to VET fund.

    02Ministry of Transport
    - Responsible for developing and implementation of policy related to VET program under the motor traffic ACT.
    03Ministry of Finance

    - To develop sustainable fiscal policy on cleaner fuels, technologies and other related areas.

    - Encourage to use green vehicles with energy efficiency / Review of vehicular emissions standard/ Introduction & importation of euro engine standards/ Encourage to use bio-fuel and alternative fuel/ Manage the infrastructure for Electric & Hybrid vehicles./ Promote electric vehicle for public Transport/Promote solar energy for electric vehicles.

    04Ministry of Health

    - Responsible for taking policy decision to health impacts related to air pollution.

    - Awareness on health impacts related to vehicular emission.

    01Department of Motor Traffic

    - Implementation of vehicular emission testing program.

    - Improvement of effectiveness of VET program.

    - Formulation of regulations including emission regulation for all vehicles with all the stakeholders and conducting meetings and seminars related to regulations

    - Required amendments to Motor Traffic Act to strengthen the provisions to carry out VET program and seminars related to act.

    - Awareness, education, information and knowledge management for vehicle emission among general public

    02Measurement Units, Standards & Services Department

    - Providing calibration facilities for the calibration of VET equipments island wide centers.

    - Attending the inquiries related to the VET equipments at the VET centers.

    - Giving approval for equipment/software modifications of VET equipments.

    - Decentralized VET Center Inspection in all the districts with a team of DMT, CEA and MUSSD.

    03Sri Lanka Police

    - Effective enforcement of vehicle emission standard set by the government.

    - Participate for the road side emission testing programs

    01Central Environmental Authority

    - Implementation of overall air pollution control policies and measures.

    - Establish nationwide ambient air quality monitoring network for air quality monitoring.

    - Ambient air quality monitoring using the fixed and mobile ambient air quality monitoring stations and Continuation of air quality monitoring program island wide.

    - Maintenance of AAQMS and Validation of data, Reporting to DMT and sharing data.

    - Establish information system on ambient air quality

    - Decentralized VET Center Inspection in all the districts with a team of DMT, CEA and MUSSD

    - Publish the regulations related to vehicle emission standards

    - Issuance of environmental clearance/EPL for VET centers

    01BOI

    - Issuance of environment clearance/EPL for VET centers.

    02Sri Lanka Accreditation Board

    - Accreditation of VET centers/VET center staff.

    - Conduct the capacity building program for assessors who participate for the accreditation process.

    01Colombo/Moratuwa/Peradeniya

    - Conduct research and data exerted and inferences taken from these researches are used for various purposes including predicting air pollution pattern in selected areas and implementing more effective and efficient Air Quality Management system.

    - Findings of the researches and projects are disseminated among the stakeholders for policy making.

    - Participating for advisory/technical and steering committees.

    01Laughf

    - Effective enforcement of vehicle emission standard set by the government.

    - Participate for the road side emission testing programs

    02Drivegreen

    - Effective enforcement of vehicle emission standard set by the government.

    - Participate for the road side emission testing programs

    01National Building Research Organization

    - Conduct research on air quality management and preparation of emission inventory an air quality monitoring.

    - Conduct air quality monitoring program and establish information system on ambient air quality.

    02Provincial Commissioners of Motor Traffic

    - Responsible for collecting and auditing of VET certificate for revenue license.

    - Take actions for the circulars issued related to VET certificate for revenue license.

    03Chief Secretaries

    - Take actions for the circulars issued related to VET certificate for revenue license.

    04ICTA

    - Management of VET data transferred by two contractors to eRL system.

    - Establishment of a reporting module to analyze the VET data transferred to the eRL system.