AAP wants to use ECC on 960 semi-low floor fully electric buses, SC told

Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it has decided to utilise the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) for environmental projects, including the purchase of 960 semi-low floor fully electric buses.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to look into the proposal of the Delhi government.

The Delhi government said its Transport Minister decided to use part of Rs 999.25 crore collected as ECC for the benefit of public and purchasing fully electric buses would be beneficial in mitigating the pollution level and improve public transport in the cirt.

The proposal has been pending for approval before the Cabinet, the counsel appearing for Delhi government told the court.

The bench had earlier asked the Delhi government to inform it of the plans it has for utilisation of Rs 1,301 crore it has received under ECC upto March 26.

The apex court had earlier imposed ECC on commercial vehicles entering Delhi in addition to the toll tax.

Meanwhile, the top court also asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) chairman to appear before it on Thursday after it was informed that the board has not complied and uploaded the data on the use of pet coke by certain industries in the national capital region (NCR).

Advocate Aparajita Singh, who was assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the case, contended that earlier it had allowed the use of pet coke in certain industries after CPCB had assured that it would collect the data about its use and monitor it on a monthly basis, but there is no progress.

If the government does not take steps, the court-mandated EPCA would have to press for complete ban on use of pet coke, she added.

The court was hearing a PIL filed in 1985 by environmentalist M.C. Mehta relating to issues of air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region.

--IANS

gt/vd