BJP, BJD clash over 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule implementation in Odisha

Odisha BJP VP Jatin Mohanty defended the phased implementation of the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule, blaming Naveen Patnaik's previous govt for public hardship. Patnaik criticized the BJP's handling, calling it "gross mismanagement" and "incompetence".

BJP Defends Phased Implementation

Odisha BJP Vice President Jatin Mohanty has responded to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief and Odisha Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik's remarks on the state's 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule, saying that the previous government had caused inconvenience to the public while implementing the provision. He added that the present government is mindful of public inconvenience and is implementing the rule in a phased manner. "During the last government, when he was the Chief Minister, and this provision for obtaining PUC certificates was introduced, people were waiting in lines for a whole week, but even then, they didn't get any relief. We will not put people through such inconvenience. We are implementing this in phases, gradually extending the timeframe," Mohanty saidon Saturday.

Patnaik Criticises 'Gross Mismanagement'

On January 9, BJD chief and Odisha Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik in an X post criticised the BJP government over the implementation of the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule in the state. Patnaik said the enforcement of the PUC certificate regulation has been "marked by gross mismanagement and repeated policy flip-flops," causing "immense hardships and inconvenience to the common people of Odisha." He added that what began as a sudden announcement of the rule from January 1, 2026, "quickly descended into chaos with massive queues at testing centres across the state." "The BJP government's handling of the Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate enforcement has been marked by gross mismanagement and repeated policy flip-flops that have caused immense hardships and inconvenience to the common people of Odisha. What started as a sudden announcement of the "No PUC, No Fuel" rule from January 1, 2026, quickly descended into chaos with massive queues at testing centres across the state. The BJP Govt failed to prepare adequately, with no expansion of testing infrastructure, no advance planning, and no awareness campaigns on the required scale," he posted on X.

'Utter Incompetence' and Policy Reversals

Naveen Patnaik said repeated delays and relaxations--from February 1 to March 31, and a blanket waiver of fines until April 1, 2026--highlight "utter incompetence" and poor planning. He said while controlling vehicular pollution is important, it should not "harass citizens" and called for better governance in Odisha. "Faced with public outrage, the government was forced into multiple U-turns: first deferring enforcement to February 1, then to March 31, and most recently announcing a blanket relaxation with no fines until April 1,2026, including suspension of e-detection at toll gates. These repeated reversals expose the utter incompetence and lack of foresight in the Transport Department. The people of Odisha deserve better governance, policies that are implemented without causing unnecessary suffering. While controlling vehicular pollution is important, it cannot come at the cost of harassing citizens," he added in X post.

State Transport Authority's Directive

In month of December, to curb vehicular pollution and enforce stricter compliance with emission norms, the State Transport Authority (STA) in Odisha has directed oil marketing companies to stop dispensing petrol and diesel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)