New Delhi: Pointing out that pollution caused by traffic entering or passing through Delhi inflicts heavy cost on the health of the residents of Delhi and to tackle this menace, the Supreme Court has slapped an Environment Compensation Surcharge on all light and heavy duty commercial vehicles.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justices Arun Mishra and A.K. Goel had on Friday indicated that it will slap the ECC and pass an order today.
In its order released on Monday, the bench said “Category 2 (light duty vehicles etc.) and Category 3 (2 axle trucks) Rs. 700/- (ii) Category 4 (3 axle trucks) and Category 5 (4 axle trucks and above) Rs 1,300 will be charged.”
The issue relates to steps to be taken to check pollution by commercial traffic travelling from North India towards Jaipur and onwards via Delhi. It has been pointed out that even though alternative routes are available for such traffic, only reason for such traffic entering into Delhi is to save higher rate of toll tax in taking such alternative routes. In the process, pollution caused by such traffic inflicts heavy cost on the health.
