Authorities yet to implement SC order on environment tax

Thousands of trucks continued to enter the national capital for the second successive day today without having to pay the "environment tax" imposed by the Supreme Court as the municipal corporation failed to implement the order aimed at improving the fast deteriorating air quality.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nodal agency for imposing toll tax, said it has engaged a contractor to collect the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC)-- Rs 700 on small and medium trucks and Rs 1,300 on large trucks -- but the private entity could not do so due to lack of infrastructure.
The apex court had on October 12 directed the authorities to levy the ECC on commercial vehicles entering Delhi from November 1 and held that the order would remain operational for four months till February 29, 2016 on an "experimental basis".

Municipal officials sought to shift the responsibility of collecting the tax on Delhi Government, while the contractor said it was facing practical problems like lack of manpower and security for collection staff.
Around 50,000 commercial vehicles, mostly trucks, enter Delhi everyday through 124 entry points.
"We wish to comply with the court order and implement ECC but there are certain practical problems that have prevented us from realising the court directed charge," said Kishor Agarwal of SMYR Consortium, the contractor for toll tax collection.

The issue figured in the weekly meeting of heads of all Delhi Government departments where Deputy Chief Manish Sisodia said no excuses should be made by the concerned parties in implementing the Supreme Court order.

In the meeting, Sisodia said air pollution was assuming alarming proportion any any laxity in implementing effective steps to check it will be detrimental to the national capital.
Officials said SMYR consortium has written a letter to Delhi government seeking help to collect ECC.