Questioning Delhi Government’s proposal to deploy 10,000 new DTC buses, the National Green Tribunal on Monday directed the Government to come out with a proper study to support its contention in the wake of alarming proportions of air pollution in the Capital.
The observations came while hearing various applications filed by Delhi Transport Corporation in an air pollution case in which it has sought modification of the NGT’s ban order on diesel and petrol vehicles.
“Strengthening public transport system is a healthy thing but that needs to be corroborated by some kind of study. Where is the space to park these busesIJ Have you carried out any study or you are just saying like this only without any research,” a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The Delhi Government had approached the NGT seeking a direction to DDA to provide 500 acres of land for parking of 10,000 buses in the national Capital.
“Do you know how much noise your buses makeIJ Have you checked any of your vehicles of noise pollutionIJ Just because you are a Government body, does not mean that you can do this. Nobody gives you a right to turn people of Delhi deaf. Show us one survey done by DTC in last three months,” the bench said.
The Tribunal also slammed DTC for not submitting status report on inspection of its buses by a team set up by Central Pollution Control Board and Delhi Pollution Control Committee and said there has to be a limit to even CNG emissions. “You have not carried out inspection and not filed report. We had asked you to conduct mechanical inspection, emission tests and conduct surprise inspections. What have you done on that aspectIJ There is not a single report filed by you till date. One year is not enough for you to conduct the inspections. Your buses were impounded, yet you have not done anything,” the bench said.
The Delhi Government had approached the Tribunal seeking a direction to DDA to provide land for parking 10,000 buses in the national Capital. There are at present 42 DTC bus depots in the national Capital, some of which also cater to cluster buses (orange buses).
Earlier, CPCB had informed NGT that it had inspected 15 old and 12 new buses plying on the roads of Delhi. While 12 new buses were found to be compliant with the prescribed emissions norms, six old ones were found to be not conforming to the standards, CPCB had said. last year, a report submitted by the Joint Commissioner of Transport had stated that 186 DTC buses were found without valid pollution under control certificate on December 28, 2014.