Delhi BJP to move SC against AAP govt over unused environment cess

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the party will file a contempt petition against the state government for its inability to use the cess.

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to move the Supreme Court against the Delhi government for its inability to utilise environment cess. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, during a press meet, said the party would file a contempt petition on Monday.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the government was expected to give quarterly accounts of the cess collected to the apex court. (Arvind Yadav/HT FILE)

On the directions of the Supreme Court, the AAP government issued a notification in October, 2016, imposing environment cess on all goods vehicles entering Delhi. The government was expected to give quarterly accounts of the cess collected to the apex court, Tiwari said.

The press conference was also addressed by leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Vijender Gupta. “This fund was to be used for the improvement of public transport system, cleaning and repairing the roads. But the Arvind Kejriwal Government neither gave accounts of the cess to the Court nor it did anything for the improvement in the public transport system and the roads,” said Tiwari.

Gupta alleged to hide its failure in procuring buses, the government is putting blame on shortage of bus parking bays, but the fact is that sufficient space is available in the city for 7,500 buses.

“The government has brought a proposal for buying 2,000 new buses but these buses will come on road in December, 2018. For these proposed 2,000 buses there is sufficient space for parking in the present depots,” the BJP leader said.