NGT seeks Centre's reply on radio taxi operators violating

The apex body of radio taxi operators today moved the National Green Tribunal alleging that diesel-powered taxis operating in the capital are violating Supreme Court order prompting the green panel to seek the response of the environment ministry in the matter.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notice to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Delhi government and several radio taxi operators including ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd and Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd seeking their replies by July 13.
The bench also directed the petitioner, Association of Radio Taxis, to file an additional affidavit for placing more information in relation to the taxis causing air pollution.

The association has approached the tribunal against pollution caused by the "illegal" usage and plying of diesel taxis like OLA, UBER, TaxiForSure, Book My Cabs, Taxipixi etc bearing All India Tourist Permit, as local taxis within the Delhi-NCR region and sought directions for restraining these cab aggregators from offering services.
It has also contended all commercial vehicles including local taxis operating in Delhi are required to be run only on clean fuel mode as per the apex court order.
"Over 22,000 taxis are running on diesel and not on CNG fuel as required under the Delhi Radio Taxi Scheme, 2006 and as mandated by the Supreme Court.

"At any given point of time even if half of the number (22,000) of taxis are plying on the road, the level of vehicular pollution being added to the already alarming levels due to such taxis is unmentionably high," the plea said.
The petition contended that since beginning, companies like OLA, UBER, TaxiForSure, Book My Cabs, Taxipixi, Meru Genie have been acting "in contravention and in blatant defiance of the law" and have even refused to get appropriate licences and permits for running their their services.