Restrictions on vehicle registration likely

Brakes on registration likely
Deccan Herald

In an attempt to bring down pollution levels in Bangalore, the State government is contemplating on suspending registration of new vehicles for a month every year, DHNS reports from Bangalore quoting Forest and Environment Minister Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli on Wednesday.

At least 1,000 new vehicles are registered daily in various RTOs in the City.
This not only adds to the pollution but also increases vehicular density, he told reporters in Bangalore.

The government will soon convene a meeting with representatives of truck owners’ associations, state transport corporations and officials from various departments to discuss the modalities of phasing out vehicles that are more than 20 years old. The meeting will also discuss the feasibility of making the use of CNG mandatory for all vehicles, he informed.

Mr Nagamarapally said the government is also considering enacting a legislation to check dumping of debris, particularly electronic waste by software industries. The government will focus on increasing the forest cover through innovative schemes in the State, he said. “Magugondu mara” programme, in which students will be entrusted with the responsibility of planting. He, however, said the government will not relax the ban on mining in forest areas.