M A I N   N E W S

SC reprieves commuters, reprimands Delhi Govt
Our Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, April 4
A three-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice, Dr A. S. Anand, today described as “highly objectionable” the reportedly defiant statements of the Delhi Chief Minister and the Transport Minister in regard to the court’s order of March 26 for conversion of all commercial vehicles to CNG. The court directed the government to issue provisional permits to transport operators till April 14.

The court, while taking a serious view of the reported defiant statements appearing in the print and the electronic media, directed the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government to state on affidavit within a week, the stand of the government on the said statements made outside the Assembly.

The Chief Justice stated that appropriate orders in this matter would be passed after seeing the affidavit of the Chief Secretary on the next date of hearing, April 12.

The Bench, which included Mr Justice B. N. Kirpal and Mr Justice V. N. Khare, directed the Principal Secretary, Transport Department (Delhi Government), Mr Ashok Pradhan, to issue provisional permits of authorisation to those transport operators who had filed affidavits in the court expressing their willingness to convert to CNG mode, allowing them to operate their vehicles.

The court clarified that these provisional permits would be valid till April 14, whereafter the transport operators would have to obtain regular permits.

The judges further ordered that the DTC must ensure availability of 860 buses for schools to ferry children. They also directed the Bhure Lal committee to examine the existing standards of the CNG fuel and the norms to be adopted by the fuelling stations and file a report within four weeks.

The judges noted in their order the statement of Additional Solicitor General, Mr Kirit N. Raval, that he would no longer be appearing for the Delhi Government which had decided to act contrary to the orders of the highest court of the land, which was against the rule of law, and struck at the root of the constitutional structure of the country.

Distancing the attitude of the Centre from that of the Delhi Government, Mr Raval submitted the stand of the Union Government pleading for suitable extension of time to mitigate the plight of the suffering public and disapproval of the manner in which the Delhi Government sought to solve the problem of the people by defying the orders of the court.

“Apparently, they want to hoodwink the people that they care for the welfare of the people and that they would even commit contempt of the court for people’s sake,” Chief Justice Anand said.

Our Correspondent adds: Three days after the transport crisis loomed large over the city, the commuters today heaved a sigh of relief as the public transport system returned to normalcy, even as the city government found itself in a piquant situation following a reprimand from the Supreme Court for defying the apex court’s order on issue of temporary permits.

The Sheila Dikshit administration, showed the first the signs of wilting under pressure from the normal public, when it decided yesterday to allow immediate operation of vehicles whose owners had filed affidavits before the Supreme Court promising conversion to the CNG mode.

The Delhi Government’s decision came after three days of hectic consultation amid chaos and violence on the streets of the Capital.

With the notorious Delhi summer beginning, desparate and irritated commuters yesterday set afire to at least six buses in an apparent show of anger to the government’s apathy to their cause.

The Delhi Government’s decision came at the risk of contempt of court and a visibly worried Chief Minister, Ms Shiela Dikshit went on record to say that the government was prepared to “face any punishment that the Supreme Court decides but would not allow the people to suffer”.

Following the government’s decision transporters and three-wheelers have started plying their vehicles on roads of the Capital. A copy of receipt of the permit is pasted on screens of the vehicles.

In a complete contrast to yesterday’s chaos, regular commuters today did not confront much difficulty in reaching their destinations.

Praveen Kumar, an executive working with a private firm said, “the situation today is much better. Though the crowd is there on bus stops, buses are coming frequently today”.

Schools and educational institutions held normal classes today as students, one of the worst-affected due to the crisis, reached on time.

Jasbinder Kaur, a student of Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School said: “ Yesterday I had to wait for three hours but still I could not reach the school. However, today I did not face any such problem”.

Several schools in the Capital reported normal attendance and the offices, which were almost empty yesterday, resumed normal functioning.