When Hologram Shortage Halts Emission Testing

Vehicle emission monitoring in Karnataka (India) has come to a standstill, with more than 400 Pollution Under Control (PUC) centres forced to shut due to a shortage of mandatory hologram stickers.

Industry groups describe the situation as a ‘forced shutdown’. As per B R Ravindranath, former president of the Karnataka State Petroleum Dealers’ Association, ‘out of nearly 2,600 PUC centres in the state, a majority are now non-functional. Without hologram stickers, we cannot issue certificates.’

In India, a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is required to show that a vehicle’s emissions meet government standards. This certificate proves the vehicle is not too polluting and is safe to drive.

The holograms are critical for preventing forgery and ensuring the authenticity of emission certificates.