New Delhi: The Aam Admi Occasion (AAP) on Thursday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Occasion-ruled municipal companies had been perpetrating a loot within the identify of giving licences for establishing charging stations for electrical autos (EVs), and attempting to derail the Delhi authorities’s initiatives to advertise such autos which is able to play a key function in curbing air air pollution within the nationwide capital.
AAP MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak mentioned the civic our bodies needed to carry again the outdated licence-quota raj system that was riddled with corruption. “The central authorities has ended the licence system, and the Delhi authorities is providing subsidies to advertise the sale and use of electrical autos, however even then the BJP has discovered a strategy to take cash from the individuals,” he alleged.
The BJP, nevertheless, refuted the claims saying there was no fact within the AAP’s allegations.
“The Delhi authorities has framed essentially the most progressive EV coverage within the nation. The coverage goals to make Delhi the electrical automobile capital of India. Delhi has the very best share of EVs throughout the nation however the BJP-led South MCD is asking for licences to arrange charging stations,” he claimed.
Pathak alleged, “The municipal companies need that individuals who need to arrange EV charging stations ought to meet the celebration councillors and search their approval over the matter earlier than taking the licences for EV charging stations.” He added that the process to arrange EV charging stations is meant to be freed from bureaucratic hurdles and licences.
In line with the Delhi authorities information until January 15, Delhi has 130,544 registered EVs, the second highest amongst all states and union territories. Uttar Pradesh has essentially the most EVs, with 271,365 autos registered to this point. Beneath its EV coverage, the Delhi authorities offered subsidies to individuals who opted for such autos. The coverage additionally envisaged a broad framework for the push to EVs in all sectors.
In line with official information, electrical autos accounted for the second most sort of autos bought in Delhi through the September-November quarter final yr.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor mentioned the allegations of corruption had been baseless. He mentioned it was unhappy to see the AAP chief levelling false allegations “towards South Delhi Municipal Company on digital charging station charges concern”.
“There isn’t any proposal earlier than South MCD standing committee to levy any charges or cost on electrical charging stations. It’s past our understanding from the place Durgesh Pathak has bought this concept that the SDMC is proposing to levy lakhs of rupees as charges on charging stations. The AAP leaders have cooked up allegations towards the MCDs,” Kapoor added.
Pathak, nevertheless, claimed {that a} sufferer of the corruption reached out to the AAP leaders. He alleged that an individual fascinated by attempting to arrange a charging station was being requested to bribe a BJP councillor. Pathak, nevertheless, didn’t identify the aggrieved particular person or the councillor.
Atul Goel, who heads URJA United RWAs Joint Motion- a collective physique of resident welfare associations mentioned that that no license payment or set up fees needs to be mounted for electrical automobile charging stations. “In case you are charging license payment for putting in EV charging stations, then there’s a clear contradiction between the coverage of the state and the native physique. If administration begins charging cash on EV stations, then what’s the level of offering subsidy. It’s like taking oblique taxes,” Goel mentioned.