Bhubaneswar: The State government’s approach to enforcing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification has drawn sharp criticism from BJD President and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik, who argued that frequent policy changes and poor execution have led to significant inconvenience and difficulty for people across Odisha.
“The Biju Janata Dal stands firmly with the people and has been vocal in our protests against this mismanagement. We are calling for an urgent expansion of PUC testing centres, an easier and more streamlined procedure, and a pause on avoidable fines while the changeover is underway. I also urge the BJP government to reflect on the missteps taken so far and put the needs and comfort of Odisha’s people ahead of rushed actions,” he said in a post on X on Friday.
Meanwhile, vehicle owners in the State have received temporary relief, with the government pushing back the PUC enforcement window to April 1. The move follows rising public complaints about difficulties in obtaining certificates and a spike in e-challans.
Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said the State Transport Authority has been instructed not to levy penalties for missing PUC documents during the relaxation period. He added that e-detection systems at toll plazas will also stop issuing fines linked to PUC violations until the deadline expires.
