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Assam govt takes first step to make Guwahati carbon-emission free

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GUWAHATI, August 20: Assam is set to join the ‘global mission against carbon emission’ within a year.

The state Cabinet on Friday decided that 200 electric buses and 100 CNG (compressed natural gas) operated buses would replace an equal number of Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) buses currently running on diesel in Guwahati within six to 12 months’ time.

“Guwahati will become emission free and the conversion process will start from vehicles under ASTC,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told mediapersons here after the Cabinet meeting.

“We will also have a policy though which private buses would also be brought under the ambit of this zero carbon emission missions…but not in the near future as a huge investment will have to be made,” Sarma said.

He said that all buses operating in Guwahati will be either electric or CNG-operated in a year’s time.

The chief minister also announced a one-time relief package for each driver and handman of commercial buses the operation of which came to a standstill after the second wave of COVID-19 in May this year.

“The suspension of inter-district public transport in view of COVID-19 has affected the drivers and handymen of night buses, deluxe buses over the past three months. Therefore, as a relief package, every driver and handyman will be given Rs 10,000 each as a one-time assistance,” Sarma said.

“This one-time aid will benefit about 60,000 workers. As it is, we plan to resume inter-district public transport services from September 1 if the COVID situation remains the same,” the chief minister said.

 

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