PANAJI
The State government has revised rates and updated regulations for Pollution Under Control (PUC) Centres across the State based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee that inspects these centres.
One of the decisions is to extend the validity of the Letter of Authority (LoA) for operating PUC Centres from one year to three years, with the renewal fees retained at Rs 15,000. The notification by the Department of Transport mentions that the revised guidelines will come into effect on April 1, 2025.
As per the instructions issued, the operators will have to ensure that at least one staff member possesses a minimum qualification in Diploma (Mechanical /Automobile /Production/ Environmental/ Chemical Engineering) or ITI (Motor Mechanic/Diesel Mechanic/Mechanic - Motor Vehicle) to run and operate PUC Centres.
The revised fee structure for issuing PUC certificates has been formalized wherein for Heavy Motor Vehicles, the fee is Rs 300. For Light Motor Vehicles, the charges vary based on the category – Rs 200 for commercial vehicles and Rs 140 for non-commercial vehicles. Similarly, for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, the fee is Rs 160 for commercial vehicles and Rs 100 for non-commercial vehicles.
The government stated that it seeks to streamline PUC Centre operations while also enhancing service quality and compliance with environmental standards.
