State govt to reconsider pollution fine

Bhubaneswa: Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena on Wednesday said the State government will reexamine the fines imposed on vehicles without a pollution under control certificate (PUCC). “It is not the priority of our government to penalise the common people and collect fines from them. We will reexamine the fines imposed on the vehicles without PUCC and will also try to reduce those,” Jena told reporters.

“PUCC has always been mandatory for all motor vehicles. There is nothing new in this. The government has started enforcing the rule as the air quality is turning worse in several cities of Odisha,” he said. Over 1 crore motor vehicles ply on Odisha’s roads, which is why it has become necessary to enforce PUCC norms, he added.

The State government has started imposing Rs 10,000 fine on vehicles plying without a PUCC, while passing the toll gates. The government had also directed the oil marketing companies to enforce ‘no PUCC, no fuel’ policy in their fuel stations.

However, after a PIL was filed at the Orissa High Court, the government has withdrawn the ‘no PUCC, no fuel’ order.

But, the High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere in the State’s decision not to issue PUCC to vehicles with pending challans of traffic violations. In a statement posted on social media, Jena said the vehicle owners will have to clear a fine pending for more than 90 days to get PUCC, which is in accordance with the provision of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. The minister said the government has relaxed the imposition of fines on vehicles without a valid PUCC till April 1. He appealed to vehicle owners to obtain PUCC before the deadline.

Official data shows 21 per cent of vehicles in Odisha currently possess valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).