‘Use green tax fund to install RFID on trucks’

NEW DELHI: The AAP government came under criticism from the Supreme Court on Monday for showing reluctance in accepting a high-powered committee’s suggestion to

NEW DELHI: The AAP government came under criticism from the Supreme Court on Monday for showing reluctance in accepting a high-powered committee’s suggestion to spend money from the environment compensation cess (ECC) it has collected to install radio-frequency identification drive (RIFD) on commercial vehicles entering the national capital.

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“We don’t understand why you are not inclined to implement it. The whole world has the RFID system. Please tell them that they should be progressive and forward-looking and not be an obstructionist,” a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur told the Delhi government counsel, ordering that ECC money must be used for the project to be executed by the SDMC.

The Delhi government counsel had requested for time to respond to the recommendation as the transport department was mulling it.

ECC was imposed after the SC in August 2015 ordered every truck will have to pay a cess before entering Delhi at the toll-tax booths. Over ` 300 crore has been collected since November 2015. SC-constituted EPCA said Rs 125 crore can be utilised for RFID.

The SC ordered the Delhi government to release Rs 93 lakh within six weeks as fees to RITES, which will vet the contract for the project.