Bhubaneswar: Petrol and diesel will not be supplied to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) in Odisha, as the State Transport Authority (STA) has tightened enforcement to curb vehicular pollution.
The STA has directed oil marketing companies operating retail outlets in the state to strictly deny fuel to vehicles that do not possess a valid pollution certificate.
Sources said the decision is intended to check rising vehicular emissions and ensure strict compliance with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
In a notification, the office of the Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman, State Transport Authority, Odisha, said it has been observed that a significant number of vehicles are operating without valid PUCCs despite clear statutory provisions. Such violations, it said, contribute to environmental degradation and pose public health risks, it added.
The notification referred to Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, read with Rule 115 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which mandate compliance with prescribed emission standards and possession of a valid PUCC. Operating a vehicle without a valid certificate constitutes an offence under the law, it added.
Oil marketing companies have been asked to issue clear instructions to all retail outlet dealers and franchisees in Odisha to verify the validity of PUCCs before supplying fuel. The authority also stressed the need to sensitise retail outlet staff about the legal requirements and warned that non-compliance would be viewed seriously and dealt with through internal control and disciplinary mechanisms.
PNN
