A new notification by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a new common format for the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate that will be issued across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989. One nation, one pollution control certificate for all vehicles will help cultivate a central registry for records of all vehicles pollution status for better transparency.
Salient features of the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate are
a) Introduction of uniform Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC) format across the country and linking the PUC database with the National Register.
b)The concept of Rejection slip is being introduced for the first time. A common format of rejection slip is to be given to the vehicle owner in case the test result value is more than the maximum permissible value, as mandated in the concerned emission norms. This document can be shown at the service centre for getting the vehicle serviced or can be used, in case the PUCC centre device is not working properly when tested at another centre.
c) There will be confidentiality of information viz. (i) Vehicle owner’s mobile number, name and address (ii) engine number and the chassis number (only the last four digits to be visible, the other digits shall be masked)
d) The owner’s mobile number has been made mandatory, on which an SMS alert will be sent for validation and fee.
e) If the enforcement officer has reason to believe that a motor vehicle is not complying with provisions of Emission standards, he may communicate in writing or through electronic mode to direct the driver or any person-in-charge of the vehicle to submit the vehicle for conducting the test in any one of the authorized Pollution Under Control (PUC) testing stations. If the driver or person in charge of the vehicle fails to submit the vehicle for compliance or the vehicle fails to comply, the owner of the vehicle shall be liable for payment of penalty.
If the owner fails to comply with this, the registering authority shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, suspend the certificate of registration of the vehicle and any permit granted, until such time a valid “Pollution under Control “certificate is generated.
f) Thus, enforcement would be IT-enabled and would help in better control over polluting vehicles.
g) The QR code shall be printed on the form. It will contain complete information about the PUC Centre.
Meanwhile, MoRTH has extended the validity of motor vehicle documents like driving licence (DL), registration certificate (RC) and permits till September 30, 2021, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said it has advised the enforcement authorities that the validity of fitness, permit (all types), licence, registration or any other concerned document(s) may be treated to be valid till September 30, 2021.
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