Pay more for diesel to make city pollution-free

Dec 25:  In order to curb the environmental pollution the Delhi cabinet has decided yesterday to introduce an Environment Cess on diesel at the rate of 25 paise per litre. Initially, the environmental cess will be levied on diesel-run commercial vehicles.

The Delhi cabinet’s decision came in the light of increasing pollution in the capital due to growing number of diesel vehicles, which has nullified the effect of gains in the quality of air through converting public transport vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) in place of diesel since 2001. The cost of diesel per litre is the lowest in Delhi.

The policy will be implemented after filing notification by the government. The government is planning to set up a fund called the Environment Cess Fund to help the introduction of clean air policy. These funds will be used in helping Delhiites switch to clean air technologies, informed senior officials in the Delhi government.

The data, published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after finding the level of air pollution, analysed by the Centre for Science and Environment, which reveals that suspended particle and pernicious nitrogen oxide has reached the same level as prior to 2001, when CNG was introduced in the city.

Moreover, the Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA), acting as a watchdog body as per Apex Court instruction submitted its report that in which suggestions are recommended to levy steep tax on diesel and bring it closer to price of petrol would help to stem the growth in the diesel vehicles. It proposed a “Health Cess” on the fuel to act as a deterrent for buyers.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the deteriorating air quality has been a major concern for the government.

The time has come for the government to make “efforts to control air pollution due to vehicular emission” which needs to be further streamlined.

“The Cess is not in the form of a penalty or punishment. It is being levied more as an awareness campaign to encourage residents to switch to cleaner technologies. This is the first time such a concept has been introduced in the city. The fund will be used to introduce new kind of technologies in the city, or alternatively to help people switch from diesel to cleaner fuels and subsidise the parts required for it,” said senior officials.

She added further that she would demand for the introduction of 50-PPM Sulphur diesel in the NCR by 2008-09 to the Union Ministry of Petroleum. The cabinet also decided that at all 19 border points of Delhi, an adequate number of PUC centers would be established to prevent entry of polluting vehicles. Moreover, introduction of financial package was discussed to encourage replacement of diesel-driven goods vehicles by new CNG vehicles.

The financial incentive may be in the form of a direct subsidy on the capital cost, which would cost the government approximately Rs102 crore.

The government will not ban diesel vehicles. “It is not democratic. We can only create awareness. The automobile manufacturers pointed out that if we were to introduce alternate fuels, they would manufacture such cars. At present this is not possible,” sources said.