delhi high court seeks response from center on demand of csr funds of oil companies for transportation

New Delhi (IANS) | The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the Center on a plea seeking direction to public and private oil companies to make financial contribution to the public transport system of Delhi-NCR to compensate for the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels. A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGO ‘Sadak Pe Tsunami’ seeking direction to oil companies to contribute funds under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). was demanded.

The bench sought responses from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, road transport and highways, and environment and forests.

The PIL has sought that the government should be directed to set up a committee of technical and environmental experts to explore public transport systems in and around the national capital and make recommendations.

According to the NGO, a 2018 report by the Ministry of Earth Sciences acknowledged that the transport sector is the main source of PM 2.5 (41 percent) emissions and that vehicular pollution is an important and particularly dangerous pollutant for human health.

That is why oil companies have a great social responsibility or commitment to reduce vehicular pollution.

The PIL states, “There is a dire need for a heavily polluted city like Delhi to have a better public transport system. It is a universally accepted fact across the world that to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, massive Public transport modes are the most important and cost-effective means, especially in Delhi. A city of over 50 lakhs. In Delhi with a population of 1.7 crores, it is expected that 75-85 per cent of the public should use it, if it is to avoid congestion. Have to avoid.”

It also stated that environment, health and education are the three most important areas on which CSR should work as per international standards.

It has been argued that oil corporations are among the top profit making companies in the country, with only three having a net profit of around Rs 1 lakh crore and that a company is required to spend its revenue on CSR under the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy Guidelines, 2014. At least 2 percent should be spent.

–IANS