Transporters move SC against NGT order

Mandi/Kullu: Manali transporters today filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).  The NGT has imposed a high environmental compensation charges on the vehicles going to the Rohtang Pass and also restricted the number to 1,000 per day, including 600 petrol and 400 diesel vehicles. A petrol vehicle owner has to pay the environmental compensation charge of Rs 1,000 and diesel vehicle Rs 2,500 and all commercial vehicles with a seating capacity of more than six to pay Rs 5,000. All commercial vehicles in the tourist town remained off the road to protest the charges. Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators Union, Manali, president Puran Chand said all transport unions, including auto, taxi and luxury bus, had decided to suspend their services indefinitely to protest the high charges and restricting the number of vehicles to 1,000 per day. A taxi operator said the high charges would ruin their business as tourists would hardly hire their taxis now. Members of various associations plying commercial vehicles in and around Manali and operators of the Him-Aanchal Taxi Operators Union, Manali, today met Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma during his visit to the town. They said the government should protect their livelihood. The minister assured the members that the government would again take up the matter with the NGT.   The NGT, in its recent orders on May 5, had limited the number of vehicles to go to the Rohtang region besides imposing high charges, which had become the major cause for resentment among the commercial vehicle operators of Manali, who alleged that the move would have an adverse impact on their livelihood and the tourism in the entire valley.— TNS/OC