MC for odd-even plan in Shimla, will write to NGT

Shimla, April 30

Vehicles account for 35.91 per cent of greenhouse gas emission in the state capital. Keeping it in mind, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to write to the Chairman of the National Green Tribunal to recommend the odd-even formula for the state capital.

Sharing the findings of the European Commission-sponsored greenhouse gas emission study of Shimla, Tikender Panwar, Deputy Mayor, said the odd-even formula, use of battery-operated and CNG vehicles and tax on diesel vehicles entering the city could reducing the carbon emissions, besides decongesting the town.

Releasing the greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Shimla, prepared under the urban LEDs project funded by the European Union Commission and the United Nation Habitat to the media, he said the city had a total energy consumption of 16,07,996 gigajoules and the total GHG emission is 2,18,898 tonnes of carbon dioxide (Co2) out of which electricity amounted to 59 per cent, petrol 12 per cent and diesel 28 per cent.

“The inventory will help developing comprehensive methodological framework to integrate low carbon strategies into all sectors of urban planning and development to make the city more livable with major focus on reducing the GHG emission from stationary fuel combustion in residential sector which is 1,81,473 tonnes of carbon dioxide”, he said. The emissions from the commercial sector is 5,876 tonnes of CO2 which was quite less as compared to the residential sector.

Stressing that there was need to switch over completely to renewable energy such as use of solar panel for water heating, cooking and lighting in the commercial and residential sectors, he gave three slogans, “Analyse, Act and Accelerate for climate change mitigation.”He said it was the matter of concern that people were consuming less LPG and shifting to electric appliances due to higher cost of cooking gas but it was resulting in emission of gases. — TNS