A concerted campaign about not missing PUC checks would make a big difference.
Pratap Sarnaik
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has announced plans to implement a policy that would prohibit the sale of fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate to curb rising air pollution, according to reports.
The proposed measure aims to crack down on technically defective and high-emission vehicles, which authorities have identified as major contributors to deteriorating air quality across the state. The announcement was made during a review meeting held at Mantralaya with senior officials from the motor transport department and touched upon another extremely vital point: there have been complaints about fake and fraudulently issued certificates, which allow polluting vehicles to remain on the road.
It is heartening to learn that measures to curb this malpractice are being discussed and will be implemented shortly. It shows a willingness to plug loopholes in the system by paying attention to complaints and acting. This also highlights that leaders are not brushing off air pollution as a ‘non-significant’ concern but are willing to do their bit to bring down levels.
While awareness about air pollution, climate change and pollution levels is up, we need leaders to make changes like these so that nothing slips through the cracks.
A concerted campaign about not missing PUC checks would make a big difference.
The ‘no PUC, no fuel’ rule is a good move, but the authorities must ensure there is clarity before imposing it, so that vehicle owners and petrol pump owners are absolutely clear about how this is going to be implemented. We do not want fights to break out at petrol pumps. While the policy is good, implementation should be without confusion.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
