Odisha govt extends PUC renewal deadline by one month

The Odisha government has extended the deadline for renewing pollution under control (PUC) certificates for motor vehicles by one month, an official said on Wednesday.

The decision comes days after the State Transport Authority (STA) directed oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, not to supply fuel to vehicles with expired PUC certificates from December 20.

The transport department had also announced that strict action would be taken against violators, with heavy fines to be imposed on vehicles plying without valid PUC certificates from January 1.

Officials said the extension has been granted to provide vehicle owners additional time to comply with the regulations and avoid inconvenience, while ensuring adherence to pollution control norms. The government reiterated that enforcement measures will be implemented strictly after the revised deadline to curb vehicular pollution across the state.