In a significant display of dissent, the student and youth wings of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) organized a large-scale demonstration in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. The protest, held in front of the RTO-1 office, was directed against the Odisha state government's recently implemented policy concerning Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC) for vehicles.
Leaders Allege Public Harassment Over New Norms
Leading the agitation were Chinmaya Sahu, president of the Biju Yuva Janata Dal, and Ipsita Sahu, a leader of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal. The protesters strongly condemned the BJP-led government's decision, labeling it as a source of unprecedented difficulty and widespread distress for the common people. Their primary objections centered on two key aspects of the policy.
Firstly, they criticized the mandatory requirement of presenting a valid pollution certificate at fuel stations to purchase petrol or diesel. Secondly, they raised serious concerns over the reported administrative practice where RTO officials are refusing to issue new PUCCs until vehicle owners clear any outstanding traffic fines or penalties.
Long Queues and "Illegal" Fuel Denial
Chinmaya Sahu accused the government of systematically harassing citizens. He cited multiple instances where the new rules have caused severe public inconvenience, forcing people to endure long, tedious queues at pollution testing centers to obtain the necessary certificate. He argued that the policy, rather than solving a problem, was creating new ones for daily commuters and vehicle owners.
Echoing these sentiments, Ipsita Sahu went a step further by terming the denial of fuel without a PUCC as "illegal." She asserted that linking the issuance of a pollution clearance certificate to the payment of pending fines is an unacceptable and unjust practice. The leaders warned that if the state administration does not roll back the contentious policy, the BJD's youth and student organizations will intensify their opposition and expand the agitation across Odisha.
Government Defends Policy as Anti-Pollution Measure
Responding to the allegations, BJP state spokesperson Sujit Kumar Das dismissed the protests and defended the government's stance. He clarified that the step is fundamentally aimed at combating the rising issues of vehicular pollution in the state. Das emphasized that the government has already relaxed certain norms to ensure people's convenience during the implementation phase.
He accused the opposition BJD of creating an unnecessary and politically motivated situation instead of supporting an initiative intended for environmental and public health benefits. The standoff highlights the growing political friction in Odisha over governance and policy implementation, with citizen convenience being pitted against environmental regulation.
