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Can’t force people to buy EVs: MP Kher
Speaking at a meeting convened by the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) on Monday, the Chandigarh MP said,“There should be no capping on the registration of fuel-based vehicles. In a democratic country, authorities cannot force people to buy electric vehicles only. This is also causing revenue loss to the UT administration”
Over a year after the UT rolled out the electric vehicle (EV) policy, Chandigarh Member of Parliament (MP) Kirron Kher spoke out against the manner in which it was being implemented, stating that in a democracy, people cannot be forced to buy something. It is for the first time that the MP has spoken out on the issue.
Speaking at a meeting convened by the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) on Monday, the Chandigarh MP said,“There should be no capping on the registration of fuel-based vehicles. In a democratic country, authorities cannot force people to buy electric vehicles only. This is also causing revenue loss to the UT administration.”
The policy has drawn sharp criticism from automobile dealers as well as residents ever since it was rolled out on September 20, 2022.
The meeting had been called to chalk out the modalities for the amendment in the EV Policy.
City mayor Anup Gupta, who is among those who have been vehemently opposing the policy, was present in the meeting, along with members of automobile dealers’ association.
Mayor Gupta, while asserting that he wasn’t against electric vehicles, said, “Efforts should be made to promote EVs by providing incentives, but there should be no pressure on city residents. Restriction or quota on registration of fuel-based vehicles won’t help. No other part of the country has such restrictions.”
The CREST officers will now prepare a report on the suggestions received and send it to administrator Banwarilal Purohit for further action.
Home secretary Nitin Yadav said the EV policy would be comprehensively reviewed and in the meantime, the registration of vehicles running on internal combustion engine (ICE) would continue till November 27.
Environment director TC Nautiyal was also present in the meeting.
The administration had stopped registration of fuel-based two-wheelers on October 29 upon exhausting the quota of 1,609 fixed for such vehicles for 2023-24. The city has 10 automobile dealers who collectively sell around 20,000 non-electric two-wheelers annually, nearly 1,600 each month. During the festival season, this number surges to around 4,000 a month.
