Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 05 2009:
The State Government is seriously contemplating levying Green Tax on commercial vehicles older than 15 years from next year.
The new initiative is basically aimed at reducing environmental pollution due to carbon dioxide and other gaseous pollutants emitted from vehicles.
The Transport Department has submitted a proposal about imposing Green Tax on aged vehicles, conveyed an official source.
As per the plan of the Transport Department, money collected in the form of Green Tax would be used in environmental projects and also to provide funding to NGOs working in the field of environment and ecology.
On the other hand, taking serious note of the larger number of vehicles which have not been insured yet, a joint meeting of representatives of insurance companies and transporter was held with the Transport Director in the chair recently.
The Transport Director instructed both the insurance company officials and transporters to get all commercial vehicles insured.
To this, the transporters and insurance company officials gave their assent in principle.
The Transport Director further asked the insurance companies to cover third parties (victims of vehicular/road accidents) while insuring a vehicle.
The Director also hinted that 'compound tax' would be levied upon vehicles which refuse to cover third parties in their insurance schemes.
At present, Manipur has 1.3 lakh registered vehicles, added the source.