The Odisha government has made it clear that from February 1st onwards, no fuel will be given to vehicles which do not possess a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate. The Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister, Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, defended this decision saying that this is no new notification, and this move is being made due to the rapidly deteriorating air quality.

The minister went on to explain the misconception relating to this issue. According to him, the government has only instructed the concerned officials that only vehicles with a valid PUCC certificate will be allowed to purchase fuel at petrol pumps. He stated that this rule already exists, but is now being strictly enforced to control pollution.

Responding to public outrage, the minister questioned why people are so upset by this move, given that the air quality index in Odisha is already in a poor state. He stated that pollution is continuously increasing, leaving the government with no choice but to take strict measures.

The minister also acknowledged that some objections have been raised regarding the fine amount and implementation of the rules. He stated that the public has stated that the fine is excessive, and the government will consider this. However, he clarified that the rule will definitely come into effect from February 1st and will not be changed.

This Odisha decision is similar to the strict pollution control measures implemented in the national capital, Delhi. Delhi has already implemented a rule prohibiting fuel from vehicles without a valid PUC certificate, which is considered part of emergency pollution control measures.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa recently personally inspected petrol pumps to verify compliance with these regulations. The Delhi government has issued an order under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, mandating that only vehicles with valid PUC certificates be provided with fuel.

According to the notification issued in Delhi, only vehicles compliant with BS-VI standards and registered in Delhi are allowed to enter the city. Furthermore, trucks carrying construction materials are also prohibited from entering during Grape Stage-IV (severe) pollution conditions.

All these measures are in line with the Supreme Court of India's order, which allowed strict action against vehicles not complying with BS-IV standards in the NCR region. The government believes that without such measures, effective control of rising pollution is impossible.