Naveen Patnaik pulls up BJP govt over ‘No PUC certificate, no fuel’ policy

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday came down heavily on the BJP-led state government for directing retail fuel outlets not to dispense petrol or diesel to vehicles without a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).

In a post on X, Patnaik, who is also the President of Biju Janata Dal, raised questions over the manner in which the BJP government handled the PUC Certificate enforcement, saying, “it has been marked by gross mismanagement and repeated policy flip-flops that have caused immense hardship and inconvenience to the common people of Odisha.”

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What began as the sudden announcement of the “No PUC, No Fuel” rule from January 1, 2026, quickly descended into chaos, with massive queues at pollution testing centres across the state. “The BJP government failed to prepare adequately, with no expansion of testing infrastructure, no advance planning, and no awareness campaigns on the required scale,” he stated.

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 the 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 and policies that are implemented without causing unnecessary suffering. While controlling vehicular pollution is important, it cannot come at the cost of harassing citizens, Patnaik, who ruled the state from 2000 to 2024, rued.

“The Biju Janata Dal stands firmly with the people and has been vocal in its protests against this mismanagement. We demand an immediate scale-up of PUC testing facilities, a simplified process, and assurance that no undue penalties are imposed on people during this transition period. I urge the BJP government to learn from these mistakes and prioritise the welfare of Odisha’s citizens over hasty decisions,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court recently issued a show-cause notice to the state government, asking for the submission of a compliance affidavit regarding the enforcement of PUCC and the directive to retail fuel outlets not to dispense petrol or diesel to vehicles without it.