Fears on CNG will be conveyed to SC: Naik

NEW DELHI, AUG. 6. The Government today said it would convey to the Supreme Court the feelings expressed in the Rajya Sabha on safety aspects of CNG in the background of recent spate of accidents involving public transport vehicles.

``We will make sincere efforts to bring every small detail conveyed in the House to the court at the next hearing,'' the Petroleum Minister, Mr. Ram Naik, said after the Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Najma Heptulla, observed that the fears of the members on the safety aspect of the CNG vehicles - especially in view of school buses having to be converted - should be conveyed to the court.

Asking why the Government had not conveyed to the court fears about the safety aspects and non-availability of CNG in the capital, Dr. Heptulla said, ``please ask the Government to go before the court. Judges too have a soft heart.''

The members speaking on the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2000, expressed fears that unlike vehicles rolling out of manufacturing units, the conversion units did not issue any safety certification to the CNG vehicles, which was fuelling grave doubts among the public.

Assuring that the Government, with approval of the Supreme Court, would set up a study group of senior scientists to look into the safety aspect, Mr. Naik said the ``CNG alone'' as fuel in the capital was ``not practical or feasible''.

Dr. Heptulla asked the eminent constitutional lawyer, Mr. Fali Nariman, on ways to convey the fears and feelings of the House to the court.

Mr. Naik said the Government would, ahead of the court deadline in September, bring up the number of CNG filling stations to 87 from the 80.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Clashes in RS over Muzzaffarnagar incident
Next     : Unruly scenes in Lok Sabha over Bihar floods