NGT orders phase out of all 15-year-old vehicles, including private cars
The East Zone Branch from the National Green Court has directed the West Bengal Government to remove within six months of all vehicles that are older than 15 years, including private cars. The phases are expected to reduce air pollution in Kolkata and Howrah.
Firhad Hakim, the Minister of State Transportation, said the government would appeal to more bench because vehicle lakh had to be removed.
Although the written statement of the state government shows some actions, joint efforts by the state government are still lacking. A large number of private and commercial vehicles that are older than 15 years are in the cities of Kolkata and Howrah, “observing the Bench of Justice NGT B. Amit Sthalekar and members of the Saibal Dasgupta expert.
Therefore, it is directed that all old commercial and personal vehicles in the state of West Bengal, including the cities of Kolkata and Howrah, are deleted in the next six months,” directing the bench in its order.
“The state government must ensure that public transportation vehicles under BS-IV are deleted in the next six months, so that only BS-VI vehicles in the state of West Bengal, including the cities of Kolkata and Howrah, after six months,” further directing seat. He asked the state government to accelerate the introduction of buses run on environmentally friendly natural gas (CNG) and electricity.
According to the estimated proposed by the Ministry of Transportation Association to the previous bench, more than 92 lakh vehicles aged 15 years or more, in the state, where more than 20 lakh vehicles are running in Kolkata.
“We have started removing a 15 -year -old vehicle, introducing vehicles managed by CNG and plans to use electric buses in the main way; But it is almost impossible to remove the vehicle lakh in a short time. We will ask for more time than the bench, “the Minister of Judges said on Tuesday night.
“Removing about 50 lakh vehicles in six months is not practical,” said a senior transportation department official.
Only Delhi has worse air quality than Kolkata and Howrah also displays striking in the list of the country’s air pollution. Vehicle pollution is considered as the main source of air pollution in cities.
“I hope that NGT orders will speed up the process of removing old vehicles in Kolkata and elsewhere. The elimination of commercial vehicles aged 15 years was first directed by the Calcutta High Court in 2008 and subsequently, in 2016. In 2020, NGT repeated orders, but not much had been done on the ground, “said Environmental activist Subhas Datta, where the NGT petition passed through the latest order.
The bench also asked the state to implement the action plan recommended by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute to fight air pollution in Kolkata and Howrah within three months. The action plan is based on research that has been assigned by the State Pollution Control Council, following the orders of NGT.
The action plan needs to be applied with direct effects. Therefore, it is directed to carry out the implementation of the action plan to fight the source of pollution and thus restore the situation within a period of three months, “said the order.
