TNI Bureau: The Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) has decided to introduce green stickers to indicate the validity of a vehicle’s Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). As per an official order, the stickers will be available from January 10 at all Regional Transport Office (RTO) offices and authorised pollution testing centres across the state.

Vehicle owners who already possess a valid PUCC can collect the green sticker free of cost from their respective RTO offices after verification of vehicle details. Vehicles undergoing pollution testing on or after January 10 will receive the sticker directly from the authorised testing centres.

RTOs have been instructed to set up separate counters for the distribution of the stickers. The move is aimed at facilitating effective enforcement of the ‘no PUCC, no fuel’ rule at petrol pumps, officials said. However, the authority clarified that displaying the sticker is not mandatory for all vehicles.

Each green sticker will be tamper-proof, self-adhesive and embedded with a security hologram. It will carry a unique serial number along with key details such as the vehicle registration number, the validity period of the PUCC and the name of the authorised testing centre.

The STA has warned that issuance of fake or unauthorised stickers will attract strict action, including cancellation of PUC authorisation and penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act. Stickers showing signs of overwriting, correction or tampering will be treated as invalid.