EPCA pulls up government officials for using hired private vehicles as taxis

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority Friday said several officials of the central and state governments are using hired private diesel vehicles as taxis for commuting within Delhi and NCR and sought an explanation for it.

EPCA member Sunita Narain said around 25,000 hired private vehicles which are of nature of taxis are being used by them and the EPCA will be writing to the central and state governments to ask what action they would be taking to resolve the situation.

The EPCA expressed concern over private vehicles being used as taxis by the state and central governments officials in the Delhi-NCR and said one of the solutions proposed was that government officials should only be allowed to hire CNG and petrol cars. 

"The EPCA will write to central as well as to the Delhi government that it has come to their notice that they are using private diesel cars for commuting within Delhi and NCR as this is nature of taxis and as the Supreme Court order very clearly says all taxis have to be on dual fuel of petrol and CNG," Narain said.

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"This would be in contravention of the court order so please let us know in case this is happening and if so what action you would be taking to remedy the situation," she said. The decision was taken at an EPCA meeting chaired by its chairperson Bhure Lal. The meeting saw participation from various transport authorities. 

In May 2016, the Supreme Court had ordered a gradual phase-out of diesel taxis from Delhi-NCR and said that they can operate until the expiry of their permits. 

New licences should not be given for diesel taxis in the national capital and those with all-India tourist permits may operate till their permits expire, the Supreme Court had said in 2016.

"No new diesel taxis will be registered in Delhi. All registration of city taxis shall be permitted only if the vehicles operate on dual-fuel (CNG/petrol), or purely CNG or petrol," the apex court had said.