Don't have PUC certificate? You can't purchase fuel in Delhi from this date

Vehicle owners in Delhi will have to compulsorily carry Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates for buying fuel at petrol pumps from October 25, the city's Environment Minister Gopal Rai has said. The decision was taken at a meeting of officials from environment, transport and traffic departments. During the meeting, modalities and implementation of the plan were discussed.

The minister said that vehicular emission is one of the key contributors to rising pollution levels in the national capital. "It is imperative to reduce it so it has been decided that from October 25, petrol, diesel will not be provided at petrol pumps without PUC certificate of the vehicle," he said in a press conference.

He said a notification in this regard will also be issued soon and the modalities of the plan will be made clear in a week's time. Till July this year, the city has over 17 lakh vehicles, including 13 lakh two-wheelers and three lakh cars, plying without valid PUC certificates, as per the Delhi Transport Department.

If caught without a valid PUC certificate, vehicle owners in the city may face imprisonment up to six months or fine up to ₹10,000 or both, as per the Motor Vehicles Act. All the government departments in Delhi have also been advised to get PUC certificates of their vehicles checked.

From October 3, the Delhi government will launch its 24x7 war room to combat pollution and ensure effective and serious implementation of the winter action plan as well as amended Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These are the set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity.

The Delhi government has prepared a 15-point action plan against pollution, and all departments have been directed to be prepared on alert mode for the same.