The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to examine the Delhi government’s proposal for using part of the ₹999.25 crore collected from environment compensation charge (ECC) to buy semi-low floor fully electric buses.
A Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta said, “You [EPCA] look into it as to whether it is good or not” after the Delhi government informed that its Transport Minister has directed the utilisation of ECC for the people’s benefit by spending it on environmental projects, including the purchase of 960 semi-low floor fully electric buses.
The Delhi government’s counsel said the proposal was pending for approval of the Cabinet, which was scheduled to meet at the end of this month.
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“As per direction of the Minister [Transport], Delhi government, ECC fund is to be used for the project, which is induction of 1,000 semi-low floor fully electric buses in Delhi to mitigate the pollution level in Delhi,” it said.
The Delhi government also said the Centre has introduced a new scheme where subsidy and loans were being given under ‘Fame Project’ where 11 cities, including Delhi, have been shortlisted for introduction of multi-modal electronic mobility.
It said Delhi has been awarded financial assistance of 40 fully electric buses to the tune of ₹40 crore under the scheme.
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It said the cost of each such electric bus was around ₹2.5 crore and the Delhi Transport Minister has directed that majority funding for this project would be provided by private concessionaires, to be selected through a competitive bidding process.
It said part of funds from the ECC would also be used for upgrading the existing infrastructure of inter-State bus terminus here.