WBPCB to provide Rs 1L subsidy for adoption of e-cabs

Kolkata: In a series of initiatives towards curbing air pollution in the state, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) will be providing subsidy of Rs 1 lakh each for rolling out 1,000 electric cars in the city, replacing the same number of taxis that would be phased out for causing major air pollution.

The WBPCB is also ready to provide subsidy in the form of one electric oven along with the first LPG connection to the roadside food stalls, to replace their coal-based chullahs which have been identified as a major source of pollution.

"We have provided subsidy for rolling out 20 electric buses in the city. We also have a proposal from the state Transport department for providing subsidy to 1,000 vehicle owners to switch over to electric mode from their cabs, which are not compliant with the latest emission standards for plying on roads. The Transport department will soon give us a detailed report in this regard, on the basis of which we will be providing Rs 1 lakh each for the 1,000 e-cars," said Kalyan Rudra, chairman of WBPCB.

According to a senior official, the WBPCB is already armed with a list of wayside eateries that use coal-based fuel for cooking.

"We will start by handing over electric ovens along with LPG connection in Bidhannagar and Howrah, by the end of October. We have already held talks with Indian Oil Corporation and the security deposit will also be provided by us," Rudra said.

There are 1,000 such chullahs in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation area and 2,500 in Howrah Municipal Corporation area. Kolkata will be next in the list where the details are being finalised.

According to Kolkata Police, the number of eateries using such chullahs is 2,500, while the number provided by KMC is 14,500. The WBPCB has a budget of Rs 2 crore, which may increase as per requirement.

The WBPCB will also be using drones for monitoring violations in connection with handling of construction and demolition waste.

"There have been a number of complaints of violation in the recent past and with the court empowering us to charge reasonably high compensation, we have been able to implement the same in more than one case," a senior WBPCB official said.

The WBPCB has also come across a few projects in the

riverside, where construction or demolition waste has

been found causing river pollution.