Transport operators oppose old vehicles' phasing out

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 11. Consensus eluded on phasing out of old vehicles to check the increasing vehicular pollution in the city at a public debate in the Hyderabad Collectorate here on Friday.

The district administration and the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board proposal of restraining over 15-year-old commercial and transport vehicles from plying in the city limits was opposed by representatives of lorry operators and transport operators unions. But, they were unanimous on providing efficient mass transport system, checking adulteration of petrol and diesel, staggered holidays in different zones and monitoring calibration of the equipment used for pollution checks.

The Collector, Mr. Rajeshwar Tiwari, said the rise in vehicular population which presently stood at 10.4 lakhs was contributing to the air pollution. Concentration of various pollution parameters such as lead, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide and suspended particulate matter had registered an alarming rise in recent times.

The APPCB Executive Engineer, Mr. Madhusudhan Rao, said that more than 70 per cent of the vehicular pollution was caused by transport and commercial vehicles. He also found fault with the poorly maintained Government vehicles for the rising pollution.

The general secretary of the State Motor Transport Operators Association, Mr. Mohd Khan, blamed the filling stations saying they were supplying adulterated fuel. The Twin City Local Lorry Owners Union's general secretary, Mr. Mohd. Iqbal Hussain, questioned: "If we are banished from plying the available fleet, who will transport milk, vegetables, fruits and other essential commodities to the city markets?"

The former Union Environment Secretary, Mr. R. Rajamani, stressed the need for declaring commercial zones where air pollution was found to be high walking areas. The APPCB Environmental Engineer, Mr. R. Ravinder Reddy, said a committee constituted by the A.P. High Court to make recommendations on containing the deteriorating environmental standards had suggested that the Civil Supplies Corporation maintain strict vigilance on fuel adulteration.

Increasing pollution check centres, supplying fuel only to vehicles with `pollution under control' certificates, introduction of mini-electric buses in lanes and bylanes to discourage personal transport, modifying existing rail linkages to support suburban needs and encouraging battery/compressed natural gas run vehicles in the city were the other recommendations.

The deliberations of the debate would be forwarded to the Government for formulating a suitable policy to check pollution, Mr. Ravinder Reddy added.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Simulator helps reduce training costs: Navigation
           centre officers
Next     : Centre urged to convene NDC meet