#DieselTrucksHealthHazard: In MC Mehta vs. Union of India in the court of Chief Justice of India, Justice UU Lalit regarding writ petition filed by KK Venugopal on behalf of children suffering from bronchitis, the state of Haryana submitted that it has diverted two lakh diesel trucks (Euro1& Euro2) from entering Delhi. However, the state of Uttar Pradesh did not file the affidavit as directed in the last order.
In the status report that it has submitted, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) submitted that diverting the trucks has made a huge impact. There was less rain and was less windy as well this winter and the situation could have been worse had it not been for the directions given by the court and diverting the trucks.
The court has now issued notice in all interim applications, and the matter is listed for March 1.
The petition was filed over three decades ago, in public interest by M.C.Mehta, noted environmentalist, in which the petitioner primarily seeks directions considered suitable for improving the environment in the national capital region.
A series of orders have been passed by this Court in the said petition over the past 30 years. an order passed by this Court on 9th October, 2015, by which this Court had, inter alia, directed levy of “Environmental Compensation Charge” (ECC) of Rs.700/- and Rs.1300/- for the categories of vehicles, mentioned in the said order. Passenger vehicles, ambulances and vehicles carrying essential commodities like food-stuffs were, however, exempted from the said charge and so were oil tankers. The collection of ECC, from the vehicles entering Delhi from several entry points at the periphery was entrusted to SMYR Consortium LLP, who is the toll collector, by virtue of a contract entered into between the SMYR and South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
The proceeds of the collections are to be eventually handed over to the Government of NCT of Delhi by the Friday of every week. Delhi Government was in turn directed to furnish accounts of the receipts and the expenditure incurred to Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) and to this Court on a quarterly basis. Directions were given to states of U.P and Haryana top divert truck traffic from entering the National Capital Delhi.