TNI Bureau: Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik strongly criticised the BJP-led Odisha government over its handling of the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate enforcement, alleging gross mismanagement and repeated policy reversals that have caused widespread inconvenience to the public.

In a statement, He said the government’s sudden decision to enforce the “No PUC, No Fuel” rule from January 1, 2026, without adequate preparation, led to chaos across the state. He pointed out that the move resulted in long queues at PUC testing centres, exposing the lack of sufficient testing infrastructure, advance planning and public awareness campaigns.

According to the former Chief Minister, mounting public anger forced the government into a series of U-turns. The enforcement deadline was first postponed to February 1, then extended to March 31, and most recently relaxed further with the announcement that no fines would be imposed until April 1, 2026, along with the suspension of e-detection at toll gates. He said these repeated reversals reflected poor foresight and administrative failure within the Transport Department.

Naveen Patnaik said that while controlling vehicular pollution is necessary, it should not come at the cost of harassing citizens or creating avoidable hardships. “The people of Odisha deserve better governance and policies that are implemented smoothly and responsibly,” he said.

Stating that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) stands with the public, He said the party has consistently raised its voice against the mismanagement of the PUC enforcement drive. He demanded an immediate expansion of PUC testing facilities, simplification of procedures and assurance that no undue penalties are imposed on vehicle owners during the transition period.

Urging the BJP government to learn from its mistakes, Patnaik said citizen welfare must take precedence over hasty and poorly executed policy decisions.