In a major relief to lakhs of CNG users, the Gujarat High Court rejected the Government of India’s application seeking extra time to implement one year old Supreme Court order to supply CNG to Gujarat at rates at par with other States.
Though the Central Government had sought 16 weeks time to comply with the apex court order, but after rejection of the plea, it has to implement the order by November 18 and provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) at the same rate under the administered price mechanism (APM).
The Central Government argued that it would require time to frame a uniform policy under APM to Gujarat. However, it was opposed by the Gujarat Government and the petitioner on whose PIl, the Gujarat High Court had passed the order last year. The court has also directed that if the Centre was not able to comply with its order by November 18, the Secretary of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will have to remain personally present in the Gujarat High Court to satisfy the court on non-compliance of its order.
The order was challenged in the Supreme Court, but on September 30, the apex court too upheld the High Court’s order of July 25, 2012. Coming down heavily on the Union Government, a division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice JB Pardiwala said that already more than 15 months have passed since it directed the Central Government to provide CNG to Gujarat at the same rate as Mumbai and Delhi, but nothing has been done.
Dhrangadhra Prakrutik Mandal, an organisation had filed PIl in 2011 alleging discrimination against Gujarat in allocation of CNG.
With the rejection of the plea, the Centre has no option but to provide supplying CNG at cheaper rate to Gujarat. Sources in the Gujarat Government said that with this development, consumers in Gujarat will get CNG at much cheaper rates.