On the occasion of the completion of 25 years since the formation of the state of Uttarakhand, the state government has taken a historic step towards environmental protection by deciding to implement a Green Cess on vehicles from November. The revenue from the Green Cess will be used for improving air quality, green infrastructure, and smart traffic management.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that on the completion of 25 years of Uttarakhand, it is our commitment to make the state clean, green, and pollution-free. The cess will be collected via FASTag.
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Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate, Member Secretary of the State Pollution Control Board, stated that according to the board's study, the biggest source of air pollution in Dehradun is road dust (55 per cent), while vehicle emissions (seven per cent) are also a major cause. Controlling road dust and adopting a clean vehicle policy through the Green Cess will be the most effective step to improve the city's air quality.
In the Government of India's Clean Air Survey 2024, cities in Uttarakhand have performed exceptionally well. Rishikesh secured the 14th position and Dehradun the 19th. The state government will use the income from the Green Cess to further strengthen this achievement.
Key Highlights:
-Reduction in air pollution and improvement in the Air Quality Index (AQI)
-Control of old, polluting vehicles
-Promotion of clean fuel-based vehicles
-Improvement in road dust control, plantation, and the air monitoring network
-Green Cess will be collected from vehicles arriving from other states
-Electric, hydrogen, solar, and battery-powered vehicles will be exempted.
It is estimated that the initiative will generate an annual income of approximately Rs 100 crore for the state, with the amount will be spent on air monitoring, road dust control, expansion of green areas, and a smart traffic system.