Centre told to allot natural gas to Ahmedabad at Delhi price

"Government of India is directed to allot natural gas for domestic and vehicular usage to the city of Ahmedabad at the same price at which is it supplied to Delhi and Mumbai to enforce the righ of equality," the Division Bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala said.

The Bench directed the Centre to immediately implement the order and declined to grant a stay on the ruling for the Central Government to approach the Supreme Court.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is available in the city at Rs 53 per kg, while it is priced at Rs 38.35 a kg in Delhi.

The HC gave the direction while hearing a petition of environmental NGO Dhanghdhra Prakruti Mandal. The petition said though as per the Bhurelal Committee report, pollution levels in Ahmedabad were as high as those in Delhi and Mumbai, the Centre was not providing environment-friendly natural gas to the city under the APM.

The NGO said the price difference was due to the "discrimination of the Centre" towards Ahmedabad, where the courts have made it mandatory for auto-rickshaws to use CNG.

Additional Solicitor General P S Chapaneri, representing the Centre, requested for a stay on the order to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

However, the Bench held that as the Government is not allocating natural gas under APM, this order has to be implemented immediately. (more)