After Delhi, Odisha is stepping up its fight against vehicular pollution, with the state transport department ordering oil companies to stop dispensing petrol and diesel to vehicles that do not have a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).
This mandate is part of a broader strategy to ensure stricter compliance with emission standards and reduce the ecological footprint. By directly linking access to fuel to emissions standards, authorities hope to force vehicle owners to prioritize regular maintenance and adherence to clean air protocols.
According to official data, Odisha’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is 177 at 4:17 pm on December 21, placing it in the ‘unhealthy category’.
Weather warnings warn of urgent road safety measures
Even as Odisha steps up measures to curb pollution, the state also faces challenges due to changing weather patterns. Several districts are likely to experience dense fog in the coming days, prompting authorities to issue road safety alerts.
In view of the deteriorating weather conditions, the Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) has urged road users to exercise extreme caution while driving to avoid accidents. Drivers are advised to reduce speed, use fog lights, avoid overtaking in reduced visibility and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
“The Water Resources Department has issued a dense fog warning for various districts of the state. In view of this, road users have been asked to exercise caution and avoid accidents,” the state transport department wrote on X.
Delhi steps up anti-pollution campaigns
Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Thursday stepped up its multi-pronged fight against deteriorating air quality by launching the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ campaign. This initiative saw a massive increase in compliance with over 61,000 PUCCs issued in a single 24-hour window.
Read also | Delhi’s air quality is deteriorating despite stricter steps to curb pollution
According to the official report, the government’s strategy works simultaneously on four fronts: pollution from vehicles, dust from roads and construction activities, industrial pollution and waste management.
To further tighten the network and reduce pollution, the capital has restricted the entry of non-BS-6 compliant vehicles from outside Delhi, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to high-emission traffic entering the area.
Strict enforcement under GRAP IV regulations
The Delhi Traffic Police has implemented extensive measures to enforce GRAP-IV rules at the city limits and has collected 2,686 fines so far.
Additional CP Traffic Dinesh Kumar Gupta told ANI that since IV rules were implemented in the capital. phase of the GRAP, extensive traffic measures were put in place around the clock at major and minor borders to ensure compliance.
Read also | Delhi-NCR AQI ‘severe’ at 429, flights delayed as toxic smog envelops city
Gupta said to date they have collected around 2,686 fines for PUCC violations and 422 fines for BS6 vehicles. He also mentioned that officials are trying to raise awareness among the general public in neighboring states through social media and government advertisements about the GRAP IV rules and regulations.
