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30% electric buses in BEST in 5 years: Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray

A workshop was organised by the Department of Environment and Climate Change of the State Government and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board at Sahyadri State Guest House on Monday, January 11, with various stakeholders.

30% electric buses in BEST in 5 years: Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray
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Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray has expressed his intention to bring about 30 per cent electric buses to BEST in Mumbai in the next five years. Also, the use of electric vehicles would be promoted in the state to curb air pollution, he said. 

A workshop was organised by the Department of Environment and Climate Change of the State Government and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board at Sahyadri State Guest House on Monday, January 11, with various stakeholders to revise Maharashtra Vehicle Policy in terms of electric vehicle technology. Aaditya Thackeray addressed at the media at the inauguration of this workshop. 

Transport Minister Adv. Anil Parab, Minister of State for Environment Sanjay Bansode, Chairman of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Sudhir Kumar Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary of Transport Department Ashish Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of Environment Department Manisha Mhaiskar, Principal Secretary of Industry Venugopal Reddy, General Manager of BEST Surendra Kumar Bagde, Transport Commissioner Avinash Dhakne, Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Ashok Shingare along with stakeholders in the automotive sector were present.

"In connection with the conservation of the environment, along with the use of electric vehicles in the state, the production of green energy will be given a boost. Environmental conservation will be promoted by implementing various measures including bringing state highways on solar energy, bringing about 30 per cent electric buses in BEST in Mumbai in the next 5 years," said Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray.

"In the last one year, INR 13,000 crore has been distributed to the disaster victims in the state. In order to prevent such disasters due to climate change in the future, a comprehensive campaign will have to be undertaken in the field of environmental conservation. As a part of this, in the next 5 years, a large number of electric vehicles will be launched in the state to reach the common man," he added.

Promoting the use of electric buses in ST

“MSRTC spends around INR 3,000 crores on fuel. Hence, using electric buses will save a lot of money. ST is currently in crisis and there is no option but to turn to Go Green and save it. In this connection, the use of electric buses will also be promoted in STs in future,” said Transport Minister Anil Parab. If you want to go for e-mobility, you will need a lot of electricity. But when it comes to meeting the electricity demand, we have to look at how green energy is generated, added the minister.

“We will move towards zero pollution through the use of electric vehicles. Out of the total pollution, vehicles produce the highest amount of it. Given this, electric vehicles will only be an option to curb rising pollution levels. In the past, we were able to convert taxis, rickshaws, buses in Mumbai to CNG. In the future, we will have to turn to electric vehicles to move towards zero emissions,” said Bansode, Minister of State for Environment.

“The air level in the cities is falling day by day. Out of the total pollution, 25 per cent is due to vehicle pollution. To prevent this you will have to turn to electric vehicles. But in doing so, we will also be able to turn to green energy,” said Srivastava, chairman of the Pollution Control Board.

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