Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding closing and shifting of operations of Depot of Container Corporation of India Limited from Delhi, 08/03/2019
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Ajay Khera Vs Container Corporation of India Limited & Others dated 08/03/2019 regarding closing and shifting of operations of Depot of Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) from Delhi on account of polluting activities.
NGT had directed the depot to furnish an an action taken report on phasing out of diesel vehicles and cargo trucks and shifting to Electric, Hybrid and CNG and arranging dedicated pulling inside the complex. The Depot has not furnished the requisite action plan. Only contention put forward is that it is not the responsibility of the Depot to control the diesel vehicles and the cargo trucks visiting the Depot.
NGT while refusing the accept the submission of the Depot said that it is the business of the Depot in connection with which the diesel vehicles are visiting. The Depot has to adopt a policy of ensuring that in a phased manner, diesel vehicles stop visiting the Depot and they shift to Electric, Hybrid and CNG vehicles. Other alternative is to limit the visit of diesel vehicles only to its satellite terminals at Dadri, Rewari, Ballabhgarh and Khatuawas or any other such terminals so that the vehicles entering Delhi are not the diesel vehicles. This is expected to be achieved in a phased manner, if not straightaway, within an upper limit of six months. Such an action plan may be filed by the Depot within one month. The Tribunal emphasised that after six months, the Depot must ensure that no diesel vehicle visits the Depot which may be the condition to permit the Depot to continue to operate from the present location.
The National Green Tribunal had also asked for a carrying capacity assessment report with respect to extent of population and number of vehicles to be permitted. An interim report submitted by the CPCB states that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is in the process of developing a methodology for the study. The study is to be carried out through Urban Mass Transil Company (UMTC) as a pilot study. Tribunal makes it clear that the study has to be done in a time bound manner and directs Central Pollution Control Board to submit a report within one month.