Taking serious note of aggravating air pollution level in Patna and other parts of Bihar, the state government on November 6 decided to ban diesel-run autorickshaw in Patna Municipal Corporation area with effect from midnight of January 31, 2021.
Secretary of Transport Department Sanjay Agrawal told media persons in Patna that the decision was taken in Cabinet Meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on November 6.
Agrawal said that as per decision taken by the Cabinet, the ban would be enforced phase-wise and in first phase, auto-rickshaw would be banned in Patna Municipal Corporation area with effect from midnight of January 31, 2021.
Later, such auto-rickshaws would be banned with effect from midnight of March 31, 2021 in Danapur, Phulwarisharif and Khagaul local bodies areas. Bihar government would provide financial assistance to encourage use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and battery-run auto-rickshaws in these areas, he stated.
The secretary said that the government had also decided to ban commercial vehicles older than 15 years in Patna Municial Corporation area, Phulwarisharif, Danapur and Khagual local bodies areas with immediate effect to check deteriorating air quality.
A number of other important steps had been taken to lower air pollution, which included routine inspection of brick kilns in and around Patna to ensure guidelines issued to the kilns were being complied and equip the units with latest technology to curb air pollution, he added.
