The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) expresses serious concern over the recent government notification mandating strict enforcement of vehicle fitness certificates, Pollution Under Control (PUC) compliance, and registration renewals across Nagaland.
The press release of DNSU stated that “while acknowledging the importance of road safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance, DNSU maintains that enforcement must be fair, practical, and sensitive to the socio-economic and infrastructural realities of the State. The Union is not opposed to lawful regulations but cautions against imposing blanket policies designed for urban centres without considering Nagaland’s unique challenges.”
INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIENCIES
In Nagaland, vehicles are a necessity rather than a luxury. Due to inadequate public transport, poor road connectivity, and limited public services, citizens depend on personal vehicles, taxis, and goods carriers for commuting, accessing healthcare, transporting essential goods, and sending children to school.
Poor roads, potholes, unpaved stretches, and landslides accelerate vehicle damage and increase maintenance costs. DNSU therefore urges the Government to prioritise road development, establish functional fitness and pollution-testing centres in all districts, decentralise vehicle-documentation services, and simplify renewal procedures. Accessible infrastructure and services must precede strict enforcement.
BURDEN ON LOW-INCOME VEHICLE OWNERS
DNSU highlights the difficulties faced by daily-wage earners, farmers, students, small traders, and rural residents who depend on old or second-hand vehicles as their primary means of transport. Rigid enforcement without affordable inspections, repair guidance, reasonable timelines, and financial support could place further hardship on economically vulnerable families.
The Union advocates a phased compliance mechanism that enables vehicle owners to repair, regularise, or gradually upgrade their vehicles rather than penalising them without considering their financial circumstances.
NEED FOR ACCOUNTABLE ENFORCEMENT
DNSU also expresses concern over the possibility of roadside harassment, extortion, arbitrary fines, and unnecessary vehicle detention. It calls for clear enforcement guidelines, transparency, and strict accountability to ensure that citizens are treated fairly and that any misuse of authority is dealt with firmly.
The Union respectfully urges the Government of Nagaland and the concerned authorities to:
1. Review the notification and provide a reasonable extension of the compliance period.
2. Establish functional fitness-testing, pollution-certification, and document-verification centres in Chümoukedima, Niuland, Peren, and other underserved areas.
3. Simplify renewal procedures and reduce the financial burden on low-income and rural vehicle owners.
4. Conduct public awareness campaigns before initiating punitive action.
5. Issue clear instructions to enforcement agencies to prevent harassment, extortion, and arbitrary fines.
6. Introduce phased compliance with affordable inspections, repair guidance, and reasonable timelines for owners of old and second-hand vehicles.
7. Prioritise road development, public transport, and essential infrastructure to facilitate effective compliance.
GOVERNANCE WITH EMPATHY
While DNSU acknowledges the extension of the compliance deadline to November 11, the Union maintains that additional time alone is insufficient without accessible testing facilities, affordable procedures, and adequate public awareness.
DNSU therefore urges the Government to suspend punitive enforcement measures until the necessary infrastructure and accessible services are in place, and to adopt a humane, practical, and people-centred approach.
“Governance is not merely about enforcing laws; it is about creating conditions in which citizens can reasonably comply with them.”
Issued in the Public Interest by: Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU)
