Govt extends ‘no PUCC, no petrol’ enforcement to April 1

Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt announced a second extension of its enforcement launch against vehicles lacking valid pollution under control certificates (PUCC). Transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said on Wednesday that the rule, “no PUCC, no petrol”, will be strictly implemented from April 1.Originally scheduled to begin on January 1, the crackdown was first deferred to February 1. The latest extension now gives motorists until March 31 to secure their certificates. “We are giving people more time to obtain PUCC. Enforcement will begin from April 1,” said Jena.He said the transport department will prepare a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) for petrol pumps to enforce the rule. To ease identification, a green sticker system for PUCC-compliant vehicles is being finalised. Stickers may be distributed through regional transport offices (RTOs).Fuel station operators raised concerns about practical challenges. “Checking every PUCC will inconvenience consumers. We also lack mechanisms to verify authenticity, which could lead to chaos and law and order issues at petrol pumps,” said one operator.Since the govt’s December 20 announcement that petrol pumps would stop refuelling vehicles without valid PUCC, emission testing centres, usually deserted, were overwhelmed. Long queues of anxious motorists led to hours-long waits, reflecting widespread panic and confusion. To address the shortage, the govt promised instant licences for new emission testing centres. Jena said 42 fake centres have already been shut down.Under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, every motor vehicle operating in public places must comply with prescribed emission standards. For BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles, PUCC is required annually. The certificate is mandatory for vehicles below BS-IV standard. Violations attract penalties of Rs 10,000 for the first offence and up to Rs 20,000 for repeat offences, along with possible imprisonment of up to 3 months and suspension of driving licence for the same period.