Ban on diesel vehicles: Some of judiciary's directives 'senseless', says Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today criticised judiciary claiming that some of the directives given by it are “senseless” and “without any scientific basis”. “Senseless directions are being given without any scientific basis. Some people who do not understand science have begun interpreting it,” he said while speaking at a public function here.

“I was reading a report about Mercedes Benz company.  They have stopped investment in India because they say the decisions of the court are beyond the limit of understanding.  (They say) we don’t understand the logic of banning diesel vehicles.

“We understand that you can ban diesel vehicles which are polluting but what is the point in banning a diesel vehicle which may not pollute or be less polluting than the petrol vehicle,” Parrikar said.

The minister was addressing a gathering here after inaugurating a Solid Waste Management Facility in Saligao-Calangute plateau. He said garbage and sewerage treatment is a “major scam” area as even those built as part of the central schemes are left unaudited.

“The garbage and sewerage treatment is a major scam area. Ninety per cent of the toilets built under Central government schemes goes into disuse after three to four years,” Parrikar said.

“Some people use these toilets to pile woodstock. Some people don’t even use it for the purpose it is built. But no one can audit it. How can one audit whether toilet is functional or not without using it?” he asked. The Minister said garbage treatment has become a big business across the country.

“There are vested interests in this sector...Comptroller and Auditor General audits everything but I have not seen the audit of the garbage treatment. Who will dare go in the dump of garbage?” he said.

The solid waste management facility inaugurated today has the capacity to treat 100 tonnes of garbage per day, which will be collected from North Goa’s coastal belt.