The move came after Delhi High Court refused to stay the order of Central Government for APM on CNG. The government has decided to file a special leave petition in Supreme Court.
‘The order of Central government to implement APM is discriminatory and against the people of Delhi. The percentage of CNG allocated for transport sector is very less so the prices are bound to go up,’ said Nagendar Sharma, spokesperson of Delhi government. ‘This order is against the order of Supreme Court, which urged the government in 2002 to introduce CNG in transport sector in Delhi to bring down pollution levels,’ he added.
The Supreme Court in its judgement in MC Mehta case in 2002 had stated that because of pollution, Delhi and Maharashtra governments should give priority to CNG in transport sector. Subsequently, all diesel buses were replaced and CNG use was promoted for private vehicles as well by providing cheaper CNG.
Initially, cheap domestic CNG was allocated to companies distributing CNG in Delhi and Mumbai only. But cities like- Ahmedabad were dependent on very costly imported natural gas.
The fresh battle for cheap CNG and PNG among the states dates back to 2011 when Dhrangadhra Prakrutik Mandal filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Gujarat High Court alleging discrimination against Gujarat in the allocation of national gas in comparison to Delhi and Mumbai and demanded a fair system to provide cheap natural gas to each city of the country. The court in its order on 25 July, 2012, ordered the ministry of oil and natural gas to supply domestic natural gas at the same rate at which it was being given to Delhi and Mumbai. The court also directed the Central government to make an uniform APM for all cities of the country. Central government challenged the order in Supreme Court but the court on 30 September, 2013, upheld the order of Gujarat High Court and dismissed the petition.
Gujarat High Court gave the first deadline of 14 November, 2013, to implement APM which was finally implemented on 10 December subsequently, Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) which distributes CNG in Delhi and NCR increased its price in Delhi by Rs 4.50 per kg on 26 December.
‘Our allocation of cheaper domestic natural gas has been cut by five per cent and we are dependent on costly imported gas to meet the requirement of CNG and PNG. The input cost has increased by 13 per cent,’ said a senior officer of IGL adding that the prices may increase further.
IGL’s APM gas allocation has now been reduced from 23,42,000 cubic meters per day to 22,28,000 cubic meters per day which makes up for only 72 per cent of its requirement. The auto unions in the city are threatening to go on strike if fares are not hiked but Delhi government does not want to hike the fare due to upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
‘The order of Central government to implement APM is discriminatory and against the people of Delhi. The percentage of CNG allocated for transport sector is very less so the prices are bound to go up,’ said Nagendar Sharma, spokesperson of Delhi government. ‘This order is against the order of Supreme Court, which urged the government in 2002 to introduce CNG in transport sector in Delhi to bring down pollution levels,’ he added.
The Supreme Court in its judgement in MC Mehta case in 2002 had stated that because of pollution, Delhi and Maharashtra governments should give priority to CNG in transport sector. Subsequently, all diesel buses were replaced and CNG use was promoted for private vehicles as well by providing cheaper CNG.
Initially, cheap domestic CNG was allocated to companies distributing CNG in Delhi and Mumbai only. But cities like- Ahmedabad were dependent on very costly imported natural gas.
The fresh battle for cheap CNG and PNG among the states dates back to 2011 when Dhrangadhra Prakrutik Mandal filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Gujarat High Court alleging discrimination against Gujarat in the allocation of national gas in comparison to Delhi and Mumbai and demanded a fair system to provide cheap natural gas to each city of the country. The court in its order on 25 July, 2012, ordered the ministry of oil and natural gas to supply domestic natural gas at the same rate at which it was being given to Delhi and Mumbai. The court also directed the Central government to make an uniform APM for all cities of the country. Central government challenged the order in Supreme Court but the court on 30 September, 2013, upheld the order of Gujarat High Court and dismissed the petition.
Gujarat High Court gave the first deadline of 14 November, 2013, to implement APM which was finally implemented on 10 December subsequently, Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) which distributes CNG in Delhi and NCR increased its price in Delhi by Rs 4.50 per kg on 26 December.
‘Our allocation of cheaper domestic natural gas has been cut by five per cent and we are dependent on costly imported gas to meet the requirement of CNG and PNG. The input cost has increased by 13 per cent,’ said a senior officer of IGL adding that the prices may increase further.
IGL’s APM gas allocation has now been reduced from 23,42,000 cubic meters per day to 22,28,000 cubic meters per day which makes up for only 72 per cent of its requirement. The auto unions in the city are threatening to go on strike if fares are not hiked but Delhi government does not want to hike the fare due to upcoming Lok Sabha polls.