Even as the Supreme Court has ordered imposition of Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) varying between Rs700 and Rs1,300 on commercial diesel small and medium trucks entering Delhi, it was business as usual at the Delhi borders on Monday night.
Trucks after trucks, which have queued up at the toll booths in various toll plazas, are passing after just paying the regular toll charges and without paying any “green tax”.
In fact, the toll officials posted at the various entry points are not even demanding any environment tax as mandated by the Supreme Court. While they are aware of the SC ruling, they have decided not to charge the tax, admitted a toll official posted at the UP border, Dilshad Garden.
“A person who runs a tempo does not even earn Rs700 on a single trip. Then how can he pay the taxIJ It even pinches him to pay the Rs65, which is the toll tax. He argues with us even to save that. How would he be able to pay Rs700 on every single tripIJ” he said on the condition of anonymity.
On the other hand, the truck drivers entering the city through the toll plazas are also aware of the tax as well as of the fact that they can pass through the toll booth without actually paying it.
A truck driver hailing from Haryana said while he was aware that the Supreme Court has imposed “some tax”, another truck driver had told him that he can enter Delhi without paying it as he was assured by the person manning the toll booth that they would only charge the regular toll.
At Anand Vihar border, a toll official told The Pioneer that they are not collecting any “green tax” because it is not practically possible.
“If we ask a person who pays Rs70 as toll tax to pay Rs700 more, he will argue and there will be traffic snarl. He may even physically assault us. Who is going to protect us,” he asked.
He further added that the toll officials are not given any proof of the levy being imposed.
“If we ask them to pay the tax, they will ask us to show the proof regarding this new tax. But we have not been given any such order, nor do we have the copy of the Supreme Court judgment,” he said as trucks after trucks passed the toll booth by paying just a nominal amount as toll tax. Similar scenes were witnessed in Ghazipur border as well.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of Delhi Goods Transport Association Rajender Kapoor said at least Delhi based transporters should be exempted from this levy.
“Everything is just going against us. First a ban was imposed on old diesel vehicles and now this. Delhi based transporters will have to even pay the tax for coming home now. Now I don’t understand what our fraternity will do,” he said.