SDMC to seek SC clarification on ECC from commercial vehicles

The Standing Committee of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) today decided seeking Supreme Court's clarifications on the environment compensation charge to be realised from trucks and light commercial vehicles entering the national capital from November 1.
A meeting of the Standing Committee of SDMC, nodal body for toll tax collection on behalf of the three MCDs, discussed various aspects of the environment compensation charge (ECC) ordered by the Apex Court for controlling pollution.
"The officials concerned have been directed to file a petition in the Supreme Court seeking its orders on three issues concerning MCDs before November 1," Radhe Shyam Sharma, Chairman of Standing Committee of SDMC, said.

"The tender issued by us for toll tax collection does not mentions that the agency deputed for its collection will be engaged in collection of any other tax. So, we want an order for the agency concerned to also collect the ECC as our contract with it is for toll tax collection only," he said.
The agency allotted tender for toll tax collection from trucks and other vehicles entering Delhi from over 120 entry points from neighboring states of UP, Rajasthan and Haryana has paid MCDs at the rate of Rs 550 per year, he said.
In case of imposition of the ECC, the agency concerned and MCDs may also face losses as the trucks may avoid entering Delhi leading to fall in toll tax collection. In view of this we will also appeal the Supreme Court for a share in the ECC revenue that will be given to Delhi Government, he said.

Also, there is question of expenditure on collection of ECC which will be required to be paid to the toll tax collection agency, he added.
The Supreme Court in its order on October 12, imposed an 'Environment Compensation Charge' (ECC) on commercial vehicles entering Delhi, in addition to the toll tax, from November 1 for four months on a trial basis, in a bid to check high pollution levels in the city.
The charges would be payable at the rates of Rs 700 for light duty vehicles and two-axle vehicles and Rs 1,300 for three-axle and above.