Dehradun: Marking 25 years of Uttarakhand’s formation, the state government has announced the implementation of a “Green Cess” — an initiative aimed at environmental protection and sustainable development. The cess will be levied on vehicles entering the state from other regions, and the revenue generated will be utilized for air pollution control, green infrastructure development, and smart traffic management.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated, “As Uttarakhand completes 25 years, our commitment is to make the state clean, green, and pollution-free. The revenue from Green Cess will strengthen our efforts toward improving air quality and building eco-friendly infrastructure.”
According to Dr. Parag Madhukar Dhakate, Member Secretary of the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB), road dust accounts for nearly 55% of air pollution in Dehradun, while vehicular emissions contribute around 7%. He added that the introduction of the Green Cess, alongside clean vehicle policies and road dust control measures, would be a significant step toward improving air quality in the city.
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In the Swachh Vayu Survey 2024, Uttarakhand cities performed remarkably well — Rishikesh ranked 14th, and Dehradun secured the 19th position. The government plans to use Green Cess revenue to further strengthen these achievements.
The initiative aims to:
- Reduce air pollution and improve the Air Quality Index (AQI)
- Regulate old and polluting vehicles
- Promote clean fuel and electric mobility
- Enhance road dust control, green cover, and air monitoring networks
Key features of the Green Cess policy include:
- Applicable to vehicles entering from other states
- Exemption for electric, hydrogen, solar, and battery-powered vehicles
- Estimated annual revenue of ₹100 crore
- Funds to be used for air quality improvement, road dust suppression, green zone expansion, and smart traffic systems
The state government said this initiative will help establish Uttarakhand as a model of “Clean Air – Healthy Living.”
however that does not seem to be reality till now, like other southern states of india, Uttarakhand has also seen cut down of thousands of trees in the name of development. So what is new this time, time will tell. Not only Uttarakhand, many states of India do not have fully functional state wide infrastructure for battery powered vehicles. In Uttarakhand, many places does not even have electricity, how would electric vehicle survive? God Knows.
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