CNG buses: HP to seek review of tribunal order

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 4

The Himachal Government has decided to file an affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking review of its earlier decision regarding plying of only CNG vehicles between Vashisht and Rohtang to reduce pollution.

Sources said since implementing the NGT order of only plying CNG vehicles to Rohtang from the next tourist season would not be feasible, a decision has been taken to file an affidavit before the NGT.

Though the Transport Department has been pursuing the issue of setting up of a CNG station at Manali with the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry but it is unlikely that it will come before the next tourist season from April.

It was on January 20 earlier this month that the NGT had issued these directives to the state government and sought report on the short and long term measures that were to be taken on the next date of hearing on February 27. The NGT had directed that Director, Transport, would hold a meeting with the OSD in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board within 10 days from the issuing of the orders regarding setting up of the CNG station.

The decision to file an affidavit was taken at a meeting of senior officials chaired by Chief Secretary P Mitra here today. Senior officers from the departments of tourism and civil aviation, environment, forest, transport and police and Deputy Commissioner Kullu attended the meeting.

Various issues regarding plying of CNG buses, removal of encroachments in the form of dhabas along the road which were throwing waste in the open and transfer of forest land for creating facilities was also discussed.

It has also been decided that the Tourism Department will push the case for setting up of an aerial ropeway between Vashisht and Rohtang so that the number of vehicle making a beeline to Rohtang can be reduced, which will drastically bring down the pollution caused by vehicular emissions. The NGT had said the earlier stand of the Tourism Department that the ropeway was not feasible was not based on evidence as its officials had not studied similar projects in Jammu and Kashmir.