The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed its displeasure over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s proposal to utilise ₹400 crore from the environment compensation charge (ECC) fund to purchase 500 electric buses as a measure to curb air pollution, which recently crossed the “alarming” level.
The court said the environment cess fund of ₹700 crore was created for the purpose of improving the environment and mitigating pollution and the proposal to use the fund for buying buses “amounts to diversion of funds” from the purpose for which it was formed.
A Bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Sanjeev Sachdeva said it was of the prima facie opinion that buying such buses was part of essential functioning of the Delhi government and the ECC fund cannot be diverted for this purpose.
It asked the Delhi government standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan why they want to use the green cess for buses.
“Plan to purchase the buses has been pending for a long time. Why divert environment funds for bus purchase? Why can’t you purchase buses out of normal funds,” the Bench asked.
For infrastructure
The court was informed that a part of environment fund would also be used for creating charging infrastructure and for procuring 1,000 CNG propelled standard low-floor buses by the DTC. Another 1,000 such buses would be procured and engaged under the cluster scheme.
The Bench, however, directed the authorities to comply with its November 16 order and file a compliance report failing which the concerned commissioners shall be present before the court on December 14.
