The problem of air pollution in Georgia has reached a critical level, and the authorities have taken decisive measures to combat this problem.

Since the beginning of September, hundreds of drivers have been fined for throwing visible exhaust from their cars. The number of violations turned out to be the largest in the capital, where more than three hundred fines were issued. In Kutaisi, almost one hundred and fifty fines were issued, in Batumi - a little more than a hundred, and in Rustavi - eighty. Of the total number of violators who received fines, a little more than five hundred were individuals, and in a little more than one hundred and thirty protocols, a fine was issued to a legal entity.

The new amendments to the Administrative Code provide for progressive fines for violators. For individuals who have committed a violation for the first time, the fine is one hundred lari, which is approximately equivalent to forty US dollars, and repeated violation within a month leads to a fine of three hundred lari, one hundred and fifteen dollars. With the third violation after another 15 days, the fine will increase to six hundred lari - about two hundred and thirty dollars.

Legal entities also bear progressive responsibility for air pollution. Five hundred - fifteen hundred - Three thousand lari for the first, second, third violations, respectively. If the fine is paid up to 10 days after the violation, the amount becomes 20% lower.

However, if the owner of the vehicle does not agree with the result of the exhaust inspection and considers the fine unlawful, he has the right to request a second inspection at the nearest inspection point. If the re-check turns out to be in favor of the owner, the fine will be canceled. Otherwise, the fine will have to be paid.

The problem of air pollution is global and requires immediate and long-term measures to solve it. In Georgia, fines and control are only the first step in the fight against this problem. Public awareness of the need for environmental responsibility should be strengthened, and alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind, should be actively introduced to reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.