Delhi CM asks officials to review old vehicle ban guidelines ahead of planned Supreme Court plea
They added that the city government is working on filing a review petition in the Supreme Court, urging it to rethink its rules on end-of-life vehicles.
A government official said the law, transport and environment departments are studying the policies and legal provisions on overage vehicles. 'Once they complete the study and submit the report, the government will examine it and take further decision on filing a petition in court,' Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.
A 2018 judgment of the apex court banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said her government will urge the Supreme Court to allow uniform rules on overage vehicles in the capital, in line with those followed across the country.
Sirsa had also written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) stating that the fuel ban is not feasible and cannot be implemented due to technological challenges. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had also highlighted practical challenges in implementing the fuel ban for overaged vehicles.
In a letter to Delhi CM, he called it 'irrational' to imagine that a 10-year-old diesel vehicle has reached its end of life in Delhi while remaining roadworthy and lawful in any other city under the same law.
The L-G had also urged the government to file the review petition in the apex court, apprising it of the range of initiatives taken by the city government in the recent past and the changed circumstances for a reconsideration of its order concerning end-of-life vehicles in relation to Delhi-NCR.
Concerned departments studying legal provisions
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, 'Once the concerned officials complete the study and submit the report, the government will examine it and take further decision on filing a petition in court.' A government official said the law, transport and environment departments are studying the legal provisions on overage vehicles
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Indian Express
7 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Supreme Court-named panel proposes ‘power corridors' through Great Indian Bustard habitats
Giving relief to renewable energy companies from blanket restrictions on existing overhead power lines in habitats of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a Supreme Court appointed expert committee has proposed designated 'power corridors' for transmission lines in Gujarat and Rajasthan, The Indian Express has learnt. The committee has also revised the boundaries of GIB conservation zones. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, it has proposed a 'revised priority area' of 14,013 sq km (up from 13,163 sq km) and 740 sq km (up from 500 sq km), respectively. These priority areas are meant for focused conservation and protection of the GIB. The corridors proposed by the seven-member committee will be 5 km wide in Rajasthan and between 1 and 2 km wide across two separate zones in Gujarat. One member of the committee, however, is learnt to have submitted a dissent note, raising objections to exempting several power lines from mitigation. The estimated population of the large bird — once considered a candidate for national bird — is below 150. Owing to its poor vision, the GIB is at high risk of injury and death due to collisions with power lines. In addition to these collisions, GIB populations have plummeted over the years due to hunting, poaching for eggs, predation and habitat loss. In March 2024, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had recalled a 2021 Supreme Court order that required all power lines in GIB habitats to be buried underground, following concerns about the technical and economic feasibility of such a move. It then tasked the expert committee with prescribing measures to mitigate GIB deaths from power lines while balancing conservation goals with mushrooming renewable energy development in these two states. The committee has proposed a set of mitigation measures and restrictions based on zonal priorities: * Existing power lines in Bustard habitats to be dealt with based on voltage. * Immediate burying of certain lines identified by the Supreme Court in key GIB habitats. * Lines of 220 kV and above be assessed individually for possible mitigation. * In some cases, rerouting lines outside proposed power corridors to reduce risk of GIB collisions. For instance, in Gujarat, 79 km of lines have been identified for burial or rerouting outside the revised priority area. * No new overhead power lines, wind turbines, solar plants over 2 MW, or expansion of existing plants in priority areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Only power lines of 11 kV (kilovolt) and lower capacities will be permitted — and strictly through designated power corridors. * No restrictions on laying new power lines outside the priority areas. Sources said the idea behind creating power corridors is to ensure that birds, especially in high-risk habitats like Jaisalmer and Kutch, aren't forced to repeatedly navigate through a maze of criss-crossing power lines. These areas are densely dotted with transmission and distribution lines, which pose fatal risks to all birds, including the critically endangered GIB. Another important mandate of the committee was to review the boundaries of the Bustard's habitat. In March 2024, the Supreme Court had accepted a classification of GIB habitat into three categories: priority areas (13,163 sq km), where the birds are known to live and breed regularly; additional important areas (5,977 sq km), which also matter but are less frequently used; and, potential areas (78,580 sq km), or large open landscapes where the birds might thrive. These zones were mapped using long-term field surveys and satellite tracking data collected by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Rajasthan Forest Department since 2014. After reviewing the data, the committee decided to retain 13,163 sq km of priority area in Rajasthan. From the 5,977 sq km marked as additional, it has recommended including just 850 sq km. An area of 14,013 sq km is thus proposed as 'revised priority area' for Bustards in Rajasthan. The remaining additional important area was excluded due to fewer GIB sightings and its importance for expected power transmission needs. The focus in Rajasthan will be on Desert National Park, Salkha-Kuchri area, Sanu-Mokla-Parewar, Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR), buffer areas of Ramdevra and the eastern periphery of PFFR, Dholiya, Khetolai, and Chacha. In Gujarat, the committee retained the priority area of 500 sq km and has proposed a consolidated revised priority area of 740 sq km. Wildlife biologist Sumit Dookia, faculty at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, and Honorary Scientific Advisor to the ERDS Foundation, which works on community-led GIB conservation, said the area excluded in Rajasthan has Bustard presence. 'GIBs use the additional important areas in the non-breeding season in the old enclosed area in Rasla. Two known GIB deaths have been documented from here. Just adjoining to this enclosure is a very big Shree Degray Mata Oran (Deemed Forest) and every year 5-10 GIBs visit these areas, staying for days in some remote undisturbed parts of this Oran. Until a few years back, this area was used by GIBs as a corridor from Ramdevra-Pokhran side to Desert National Park,' he said. Submitting a dissent note, one member of the committee, Devesh Gadhavi, Deputy Director, The Corbett Foundation, is learnt to have submitted that all existing overhead power lines of 33 kV and above within the revised priority area should either be buried underground or rerouted through power corridors or outside priority areas altogether. The committee has recommended immediate undergrounding of 80 km of 33 kV lines in Rajasthan and 79 km in Gujarat's Kutch region, along with mitigation for other lines through rerouting or insulation. Another point of disagreement was the risk posed by an upcoming 400 kV line in Bhachunda and two 220 kV lines associated with the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO), without suggesting measures to mitigate their threat to GIBs. An expert from the renewable energy industry said, 'Rerouting is clearly less costly than undergrounding, but it might be equally time-consuming.' Among key conservation measures suggested is using the 'jump start' method to revive Gujarat's GIB population. This will involve using eggs in advanced stages from conservation breeding facilities in Rajasthan, which will be incubated by wild GIB females. Tagging of the remaining Gujarat GIBs has also been recommended. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Govt banks on panel's watch as dog menace deepens
Thiruvananthapuram: With over three lakh dog bite cases reported in a single year, the state govt has decided to retain the services of the committee headed by former high court judge Siri Jagan to process compensation claims from victims of stray dog attacks. Though the Supreme Court ruled in May 2024 that future compensation claims could be addressed by constitutional courts or other competent forums, it did not specify about the future of the existing mechanism in Kerala. As a result, when the committee paused its functioning citing a lack of clarity, public concerns mounted, especially with the state witnessing an alarming increase in dog bite cases. Data presented in the assembly paints a grim picture. In 2024 alone, 3,16,793 people sought treatment in govt hospitals after being bitten by dogs. It is suggested that the actual number could go over six lakh if those treated in private hospitals are also accounted for. Thiruvananthapuram district leads with 50,870 reported bite cases, followed by Kollam (37,618), Ernakulam (32,086) and Palakkad (31,303). Even hilly regions like Idukki (10,003) and Wayanad (5,719) have not been spared. The staggering stray dog population is at the heart of the issue. As per the latest available estimate presented in the assembly—based on the 2019 Livestock Census—Kerala is home to 2,89,986 stray dogs. That's nearly one stray dog for every 12 people in the state. The Siri Jagan committee was originally constituted to streamline compensation for victims and ensure humane responses to the stray dog crisis. Animal welfare groups have long warned that unchecked growth in the stray population, combined with inadequate sterilisation efforts and poor waste management, has created a situation in which both people and animals are at risk. The continuation of the committee offers some relief to victims, but pressure is mounting for lasting solutions and not just post-incident payouts. There have been calls for bold legislative interventions. In a detailed social media post, bureaucrat N Prasanth argued that Kerala can enact laws suited to its growing public safety crisis as animal welfare is a subject under the concurrent list of the Constitution. He suggested that the state could bring in targeted legislation such as a 'Kerala Public Safety and Aggressive Animals Regulation Act', which would allow for the classification and control of dangerous animals, including aggressive stray dogs. He also highlighted legal provisions available under Section 13 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the 1967 Kerala Prevention and Control of Animal Diseases Act, which, if properly notified and clarified, can empower authorities to cull rabies-suspected or violent animals in hotspot zones.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Delhi govt has earmarked 700cr for slum areas: CM
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Monday that her govt has allocated Rs 700 crore in the budget for the development of slum settlements. "Whenever slums need to be removed for any reason, arrangements are being made to provide houses to the eligible residents so that they can be true citizens of the national capital," she said. Gupta said that slum dwellers should not be misled by AAP, as during that party's rule they merely saw slum residents as vote banks and encouraged the supply of alcohol to these areas. "Now that the current govt is working on development schemes for the slum communities, these functionaries are trying to incite unrest and mislead the residents," she said. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The chief minister said this while visiting a slum camp — Faatak Wali Jhuggi — near the railway crossing in Shalimar Bagh on Sunday morning. The railways have issued a notice for the removal of this slum settlement, as it is on railway land. The railways are expanding the Azadpur railway station. Gupta said that a survey of this slum area was conducted in 2020, but the then Aam Aadmi Party govt neither took any decisions, nor held talks with the railways. "But we have now begun working on a plan for you, so that you do not face any hardship," she said. "When a crisis came upon you, I came to meet you because Delhi govt is not in favour of removing slums without a reason," the chief minister said. She added that if slums have to be removed for the sake of development projects or any other legitimate reasons, govt will ensure rehabilitation for the eligible residents so that they too can become a part of Delhi's growth story. She said that she would speak to the ministry of railways and make arrangements for housing for the residents of this area. "You will get complete justice. Delhi govt is fully committed to this," she said, adding that there was no need to panic. The chief minister also criticised the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party govts, stating that in the past 40 years, no development has taken place in Delhi's slums. "These parties have only seen slum dwellers as voters and have constantly tried to exploit them," she said. Gupta also said that the AAP functionaries were making baseless allegations that Delhi govt is focused on removing slum dwellers. "But let me tell them that govt has allocated a budget of Rs 700 crore for the development of slum settlements," she said. The objective is clear: our govt is consistently working towards the development of slum settlements. Roads, lanes and pavements are being constructed in these areas. Arrangement for clean drinking water is being made. Toilets and bathing facilities are being set up for women, she said. Gupta said that AAP was trying to intimidate slum dwellers. However, during their tenure, these functionaries attempted to turn slum residents into alcoholics and made no plans for their development, "whereas we are carrying out genuine and meaningful development", she said.
