NGT extends deadline for ban on diesel vehicles at Rohtang for May 5

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Last week, the tribunal, during its hearing at New Delhi, had passed orders banning movement of diesel operated tourists’ vehicles to Rohtang Pass from May 1, just ahead of the upcoming tourists’ season.

Earlier to this, the tribunal had told the government to explore possibilities of plying CNG buses for the tourists to reduce vehicular pollution and environmental degradations being cause by unrestricted mobility of the vehicles .

The case is expected to come-up for next hearing at New Delhi before the principal bench headed by NGT chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar.

State’s Additional Advocate general Anoop Rattan submitting affidavit, filed by Shridhar, on behalf of the government, informed that efforts were underway to find viable green alternatives relating to the transport.

So far, no trials could be conducted on efficacy of the CNG buses. He also informed that order on banning diesel operated tourists vehicles from May 1, will cause hardships and hit livelihood of the locals.

At this, Shridhar explained to the bench the steps already taken by the government including holding of meetings with top central government teams of the department of Oil and Natural Gas. The Transport department also has invited expression of interests from the leading automobile companies to conduct trials for Rohtang Pass, which is a high altitude area.

He, however, gave a firm commitment that all measures will be in place well in time to implement all directions of the NGT setting-up checking points and monitoring station for ambient air quality. “We will not even wait from the central government’s approvals to accomplish this task”, he told the bench.