SC declines to set aside NGT order restricting tourist taxis to Rohtang

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to set aside the National Green Tribunal’s directions for restricting entry of tourist vehicles to Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh, saying every good effort to curb pollution was always met with resistance.

A vacation bench of Justices A K Sikri and U U Lalit, however, stayed the order relating to use of BS-4 fuel by tourist vehicles after noticing that it was not available. Senior counsel Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for taxi operators, challenged the NGT’s  directions, contending that the restricting to only 1,000 tourist vehicles and levying environmental compensation charges of Rs 1,000 for petrol vehicles and Rs 2,500 for diesel vehicles per trip would create hardships for people.

The NGT had said only 1,000 tourist vehicles – 600 petrol and 400 diesel – would ply on Manali-Rohtang pass stretch and they would be subject to BS-4 standards of emission. The tribunal directed that any vehicle carrying more than six passengers would pay a further environmental compensation of Rs 5,000.

The court said there was no ground to interfere with the NGT’s order. “Initially, when such steps (to curb pollution) are taken, there is always hue and cry,” the bench said. 

Justice Sikri recalled that when CNG was introduced in Delhi by the apex court, there was strong resistance. “I was in the High Court then. (The former) chief minister said ‘I will disobey (the court order replacing diesel with CNG) and go to jail’,” he said. 

The court asked the tourist taxi operators to go to the NGT for modification of its other  directions. The court asked the NGT to give early hearing.