Representatives of the Delhi Goods Transport Association (DGTA) on Friday met the Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander at the Delhi Police HQs to discuss the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on loading and unloading of trucks in some major markets of Delhi during the day. Chander told the association that they need to raise the issue directly with NGT.
According to DGTA, a clarification is needed as to which order should be followed by the Delhi Traffic Police (DTP). Whether they should follow the 2006 order of Bhure lal Committee constituted by Supreme Court that had recommended that as long as wholesale markets are not shifted from Delhi, there can be no ban on loading and unloading of trucks or should they follow the recent NGT order that banned the loading and unloading of vehicles in some “congested markets” during the day.
Rajinder Kapoor, Secretary General of DGTA, said, “We have an order by Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) and Supreme Court that as long as wholesale markets are not shifted to Integrated Trade Markets, you can’t stop loading and unloading of vehicles. Now NGT order is superseding the Supreme Court order on the issue. So in that respect, we met Muktesh Chander and told him that the ban is not valid on us.”
Muktesh Chander, however, told The Pioneer that it’s an issue that needs to be resolved by the NGT and the transporter community among themselves. “I have told the members of DGTA that they need to raise this issue directly with the green tribunal. In the meantime, we have to follow the NGT order,” he said.
NGT had earlier issued an order banning loading and unloading of vehicles in congested commercial markets like lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, South Extension, Nehru Place and Chandni Chowk.
Since the markets are closed at night, the unloading and loading of trucks is conducted only after the shops are opened in the morning. The transporters’ main concern is that if it is stopped during the day time, then where can they keep the goods if they can only unload them the night beforeIJ
In the meeting with the Special CP, other representatives of DGTA, including Majinder Pal Singh, Tirlochan Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Brij Mohan Raval and Ishwar Giri were also present.