New Delhi: A Delhi resident's plea alleging that diesel powered inter-state taxis operating in the national capital were violating Supreme Court directive on Friday led the National Green Tribunal to seek the response of the city government in the matter.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notice to Delhi government and radio taxi operators -- ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd and Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd -- seeking their replies by July 3.
ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd aggregates taxis under the Ola brand, while Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd provides cabs under TaxiForSure and Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd runs Uber.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Delhi resident Davinder Pal Singh against pollution caused by the "illegal" usage and plying of diesel taxis like Uber, Ola and TaxiForSure bearing All India Tourist Permit, as local taxis within the Delhi-NCR region.
Singh has contended that diesel vehicles used for public transport affect air quality and therefore, all commercial vehicles including local taxis operating in Delhi are required to be run only on clean fuel mode as per the apex court order.
"All commercial vehicles including local taxis operating in Delhi are required to be run only on clean fuel mode i.e. CNG (single fuel) mode as per the directions of Supreme Court," the plea, filed through advocate Pankaj Vivek, said.
The petition contended that the judgment of the apex court was passed with a view to check rapid deterioration of air quality in Delhi which has been becoming a health hazard.
"In Delhi, registration of diesel vehicles for commercial use is permitted only if they apply for and obtain All India Tourist Taxi permits in order to use it for inter city business as CNG may not be available in locations outside NCR region," the plea said.
The plea sought direction to punish the "offending All India Tourist taxi permit holders" who are using diesel taxis for intra-city transport and restrain Delhi government from allowing use of All India Permit Taxis registered in other States for use as Taxis for Delhi-NCR region.
"The petitioner is primarily concerned with the air pollution being caused by the respondents by misusing the predominantly diesel vehicles having All India Tourist Permit, for use as local intra-city and NCR taxis by aggregating such vehicles/vehicle owners under their respective mobile apps (known as OLA App or Uber App or Taxi for sure App).
"In this mode of business, the diesel vehicles registered in Delhi as well as other states are able to flout the provisions of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 as well as bypass the directions of the Supreme Court and Bhure Lal Committee Report which had made use of clean and unadulterable fuel compulsory for public transport," it said.
Noting that diesel is the prime source of air pollution in Delhi, the tribunal on April 7 had held that all diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old will not be permitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.
On November 26, 2014, it had banned plying of all diesel or petrol vehicles which were more than 15 years old.
Comments
0 comment