The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the ban on non- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) taxis will adversely impact the economy and hundreds of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services run by multinational corporations (MNCs) could move their business outside the country.
Seeking time to file an application to modify the court order of April 30 permitting only CNG cabs to operate in the Capital, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said, “The Government of India is concerned as a large number of BPOs are being affected by this order.”
The Bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice R Banumathi, which was hearing the matter related to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Corridor, asked the Solicitor General for any alternative to the problem and suggested replacing non-CNG cabs with CNG buses.
Kumar said this idea would not be feasible as most employees of BPOs are women who work till late in the night and need to be dropped right at their doorstep. “There is a definite problem about their safety,” he said. Sharing the larger concern of the Government, Kumar pointed out that the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM ) had written to the Centre that the exodus of the BPOs could cost the nation more than $1 billion.
Kumar said, “Business is likely to get affected by the court order and we fear that MNCs will go out of the country if their concern is not met.”
The Bench, which is expected to take up the matter on Monday, asked Kumar to suggest remedial measures if the April 30 order is to be modified. Already, the Delhi Government has volunteered to present a plan of action to ensure phased removal of non-CNG taxis from the city.
The All-India Tourist Permit drivers’ association also sought a hearing by the court as they argued that diesel taxis, mostly with engines meeting BS-IV emission norms are protected by a SC order of 2000 and 2001 in the MC Mehta case. The association said that following an order passed in 1998 asking all public vehicles to convert to CNG, the court specifically exempted diesel cabs which met BS-II emission norms. The judgment further clarified that the order would apply only to pre-1990 autos and taxis.
The Bench wished to know if all the agitating auto drivers plied within city limits. The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which is assisting the court in the Delhi pollution case through its recommendations, informed the Bench that the agitation is by All India Tourist Permit cabs which have to cater to the National Capital Region. Since CNG is not easily available in the NCR, the EPCA has proposed a five-year breather for non-CNG cabs to convert to CNG. In addition, EPCA has ordered a ban on any fresh registration of non-CNG taxis in the Capital.