Odisha Cancels 42 Fraudulent Pollution Centres Amid Emission Scam

The Odisha Transport Department has revoked the licenses of 42 Pollution Under Control (PUC) testing centres after uncovering widespread malpractice in issuing pollution certificates.

Officials revealed that several centres were issuing fake certificates without conducting proper emission tests, while some operated from outside the state to serve vehicles registered in Odisha.

Additional Transport Commissioner Deeptiranjan Patra confirmed the cancellations, citing strong evidence of fraud.

Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has filed a case at the cyber police station in Bhubaneswar to investigate digital manipulation linked to the scam.

Complaints have also been lodged against centres functioning in other states.

Authorities highlighted that pollution data for nearly 50–60 lakh vehicles in Odisha remains outdated or missing in the central Vahan database, complicating enforcement of emission norms.

To assist vehicle owners, the department has urged citizens to call the toll-free helpline 1800-345-1073 if they face issues with challans or certificate validation.

This crackdown is part of the Odisha government’s broader initiative to strengthen adherence to vehicle emission standards and eliminate corruption in the certification process.

Officials confirmed that further investigations are underway and more actions against defaulting centres may follow.