The Hindu : CNG crisis continues in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2002

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CNG crisis continues in Delhi

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL. 9. With the Central Government today ruling out the issuance of an ordinance to provide for the use of ultra low sulphur diesel, the transport crisis in Delhi looks set to continue for some more days. The only solution being proposed by the Centre is to file a response in the Supreme Court seeking some considerations in view of problems faced in dispensing Compress Natural Gas (CNG).

This was the outcome of a meeting convened by the Union Home Minister L.K. Advani with the Ministers for Petroleum, Law and Environment. The hour-long conclave, which was expected to yield some concrete results and relief for the Delhi citizens, ended instead with recriminations being heaped on the Delhi Government by the former Chief Ministers M.L. Khurana and Saheb Singh Varma, while the Petroleum Ministry raised implementation issues.

The Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, told newspersons after the meeting that the CNG supply was not a problem but dispensation remained a problem. It would take a year and a half to build the infrastructure required for sufficient supply and the Indraprastha Gas Limited has been asked to create itThe Government would file its reponse in the Supreme Court '' and plead for some considerations'', he said.

He would also be meet the Delhi Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit, tomorrow to provide any assistance to her. Regarding an ordinance, he said it would not be legally possible to issue it while Parliament was still in session. Indicating that the centre was considering legislative measures, he said it would only be possible to introduce legislation for use of dual fuels in the capital after the sitting resumes on April 15.

The former Delhi Chief Ministers, M.L. Khurana and Saheb Singh Varma who also attended the meeting, however, insisted that any legislation to counter the Supreme Court order banning diesel buses would have to be introduced by the Delhi Government. This is a reversal of their stance on Monday when they said that discussions were being held with all political parties on an ordinance to allow dual fuels.

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