Transporters urge Govt to find other means to curb pollution

 

NEW DELHI: The transporters in the national Capital on Thursday urged the Delhi Government to look for alternate means to curb air pollution stating that the move to ban the entry of medium and heavy goods vehicles in the city from November to February will lead to losses for traders.

The Delhi government has issued an order banning the entry of medium and heavy goods vehicles in the capital from November to February to curb vehicular pollution.

However, trucks carrying essential items will be allowed to enter Delhi.

According to an official, entry of such vehicles will be banned from November 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023. Vehicular pollution leads to deterioration of air quality during the winter months, the official added.

Bhim Wadhwa, ex-president of the All India Motor Transport Congress said bureaucrats frame policies without thinking about the general public or the stakeholders. "How will such things solve the problem of pollution? The government had earlier also put similar measures in place but have they given any results?

"The government should share data of pollution levels on the days the ban was in place on earlier occasions and when there was no ban. The government had put up smog towers to curb air pollution. But have there been any results?" he asked.

Rajendra Kapoor of the Delhi Goods Transport Organisation concurred with Wadhwa and said Delhi's reputation as a retail hub will be badly hit due to the ban.

"Truckers and traders will find alternative markets for buying goods and sending them with Delhi being shut for them. This will hurt Delhi's reputation as a retail hub.        "The businesses of petrol pumps will be severely affected. This ban will hit the transporters in a much more severe way than the Covid pandemic," he said.

Kapoor urged Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot to reconsider the decision of enforcing this ban.

"Please consider alternate ways to curb pollution by holding meetings with experts. If this comes into effect, it will affect transporters in a severe way and it will be difficult for them to recover from the blow," he asserted. (Agencies)