The court also asked Salve to intimate the counsel for the two states to be present tomorrow to assist it. Seeking enforcement of principle of Environment Law that the polluter has to pay, Salve, in his fresh plea, has sought levy of “pollution compensatory charges”, along with toll tax, on commercial vehicles criss-crossing the national capital.
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About 52,000 commercial vehicles, excluding taxis, enter the landlocked city each day, more than double government estimates, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said in a report this week.
“It will be in our considered view, appropriate to direct the check posts to charge transport heavy vehicles entering Delhi as their final destination or en route to other places entering from Sonipat to pay environmental compensation in addition to toll tax payable”, the bench said.
The bench additionally made it clear that each one automobiles destined for locations aside from Delhi shall be diverted at Panipat to take alternate route by way of NH-71A and NH-seventy one and exit at Bawal in Haryana.
It said that the trucks not destined for Delhi and which have not taken alternate route would not be permitted to enter the capital and would be returned to Panipat to take the alternate route.
The bench noted heavy vehicles pay a toll of Rs 600 for entering Delhi, but Rs 930 to Rs 1,550 to enter Haryana. It also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and DPCC to arrange for instruments to check emission of moving overloaded heavy vehicles.Rajendra Kapoor, president of the Delhi Goods Transport Organisation, however, termed the development as “vague and not-permanent”.
High pollution levels have anxious environmentalists, public and the authorities in the city of 16 million people, which the World Health Organization previous year said had the worst air quality in the world.
Three infants aged between six to 14 months had approached the top court through their parents to curb air pollution claiming that the right to clean air is a fundamental right. The Apex Court was hearing the petition demanding imposition of pollution compensation tax on almost 60,000 trucks entering the capital daily.
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Additional solicitor-general Pinky Anand, appearing for the NHAI, told the tribunal that work has been awarded on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway and work on the project would start shortly. 500 for two axle vehicles, Rs 700. for three and Rs. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday came down heavily on commercial vehicles, which have been a major source of pollution in Delhi.
