HC ban on old vehicles

KOLKATA, July 18: A Division Bench of Mr SS Nijjar, Chief Justice, and Mr Justice Pinaki Ghosh of Calcutta High Court today directed the state government to ensure the withdrawal of the commercial vehicles which have been running for the past 15 years in the city and the KMDA areas. The order of the Division Bench is aimed at countering pollution.The state government was further directed to form a monitoring committee with representatives from Jadavpur University and IIT, Kharagpur to tackle pollution. The committee would report to the court about the extent of pollution every 15 days, it was further held. The order has been passed following a writ petition filed by the Howrah Ganatantrik Samity seeking relief from pollution emanating from automobile emission. On 27 June at the time of hearing of this matter, it was brought to the notice of the court that auto rickshaws in the city are spreading pollution upon which the court directed filing of affidavit.During the day's hearing, a notification of the state environment department was placed by the state government counsel Mr Kallol Basu wherein the 15 year old commercial vehicles were ordered to be withdrawn. Fuel of auto rickshaws in the city should be converted to Liquefied Peteroleum Gas or Compressed Natural Gas by 31 March, 2009 and this dateline would be 31 December, 2009 in the KMDA areas, it was further held. The auto rickshaws having two-stroke engine should be stopped completely by December, 2008, it was held. All oil companies have been asked to ensure steady supply of LPG or CNG to auto-rickshaws across the state. Police have been asked to immediately seize all unauthorised auto rickshaws that are plying in the KMC area. The Motor Vehicles Department has been asked to stop registration of auto rickshaws having two-stroke engines as all such auto rickshaws should be phased out completely by December, 2008. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board and the Motor Vehicles Department have been asked to keep a sharp watch on pollution under control certificate (PUC) issuance centres to stop issuance of fake certificates. Licence of such errant PUCs has been asked to be scrapped immediately for two years with imposition of a fine of not less than Rs 25,000. Police have been asked to initiate measures to stop selling of adulterated oil and lubricants in the open market.
Statesman News Service
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