IMPHAL, Jan 5 (Newmai News Network): Under a new policy the Directorate of Transport, Manipur is all set to minimize carbon monoxide emission and other health related problems confronting in the state capital Imphal caused by air and noise pollution at the highest level.
Formulation of a new policy called “Manipur State Transport Policy” is nearing completion and it would be submitted to the state Government by March this year for final approval, M Luikham, Director, Directorate of Transport told Newmai News Network on Saturday. He said the policy is being initiated in view of the traffic volume, present condition of transport and environment in the Imphal.
A drafting committee with A Shivadas Sharma, Deputy Director, Transport Department as chairman was constituted to formulate the new policy about a year back, M Luikham said, adding the innovative policy will also provide guideline to the public.
He said the 25-page policy having 18 different sections will be duly submitted to the Government to seek its final approval by March this year. Soon after that, the Transport Department will begin giving instruction to the public and will try to minimize carbon monoxide emission especially from running out vehicles and other health related problems caused by air pollution in Imphal city at the highest level.
The Transport Department is also looking for increasing the number of mass passenger public carrier vehicles in the city to replace passenger light vehicles like diesel autorickshaws and Tata Magic vans which are creating problem by increasing unnecessary traffic volume in the city, he said.
The total number of registered vehicles including both heavy and light vehicles is 2, 24,056 till December 2012 in the state and of this, around 1.05 lakh of vehicles were registered from Imphal West district alone while around 19,000 vehicles were registered from Imphal East in the Transport Department, the Director further informed.
Altogether 1,08, 446 two wheelers were registered from Imphal West while a total of 12, 339 were registered from Imphal East as of August 2012. Another 14, 371 and 1, 801 autorickshaws were registered in the department for the two capital districts respectively. At the same time, 17, 086 and 2, 074 cars were registered from both the districts respectively.
In the year 2012, the department collected total revenue of Rs 12.45 crore from different sources like issuance of vehicle registration certificates, licenses and permits, he added while further informing that the department has set a target to collect total revenue of Rs 18.34 crore till March 2013.
In Imphal West district, the traffic police collected Rs 36, 82, 450 as fine from the public, an official report from Traffic police, Imphal West district said.