Panel to see through High Court directives on traffic

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1: For speedy and proper implementation of directives of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on traffic and pollution, the ...

CHANDIGARH, Aug 1: For speedy and proper implementation of directives of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on traffic and pollution, the Chandigarh Administration has constituted an eight-member committee, consisting of senior officials of the Administration and Municipal Corporation.

According to sources, the implementation committee comprising executive engineers of road and electricity wings of the Municipal Corporation and UT Administration, SDM (central), MC secretary, Environment Director and a senior police official, will monitor functioning of their respective departments on day-to-day basis.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held this week under the chairmanship of UT Home Secretary N. K. Jain. The meeting was attended, among others by UT Finance Secretary, Chief Engineer, Deputy Commissioner and senior officials from the MC and the police department.

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The first meeting of the committee will be held in the next week to decide its agenda and modus operandi to be adopted for the compliance of the court orders, it is learnt.

A separate compliance report will also be filed in relation to prevention of air, noise and environment pollution caused by the vehicles in the Union Territory.

To ensure compliance of conditions issued under the judgment of the High court, Justice Swatanter Kumar had on July 27 directed that a committee consisting of Commissioner of the Court, a nominee from the civil services of the UT Administration, responsible police officer from the UT cadre and representatives of civil services from Punjab and Haryana, shall also submit a report at least one week before the next date of the hearing i.e. September 20.

The High Court had ordered that since there was no stay on many parts of the directives of the court issued in July, the same should be complied with immediately and gave a further time of one month to the respective governments of UT, Punjab and Haryana.

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The court clarified that directives to be implemented without any delay include: zebra crossing marking on roads in accordance with traffic rules and judgment; attendance in school buses and discharge of their duties on terms of judgment; the use of red lights or flags on vehicles; commencement and conclusion of refresher courses for traffic police, drivers and conductors of all vehicles; demarcation of No Overtaking Zones in addition to all other directions which have not been specifically stayed by the Supreme Court.