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The Union government on Tuesday decided not to issue an ordinance allowing use of low-sulphur diesel as an alternative to compressed natural gas for plying private transport buses in the capital.
The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to stop all buses plying on diesel in the capital and allow only those running on CNG.
"After an hour-long meeting which was presided over by Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, it was decided that since transport is a state subject, the Delhi government should tell the Centre what it wants to do to resolve the crisis in the capital," Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said.
"Since Parliament is in session, the ordinance cannot be issued. We could bring a bill in Parliament but since we do not have the requisite numbers we would have to talk to the Congress about it," he said.
"I have been asked to talk to [Delhi Chief Minister] Shiela Dikshit and find out how the government proposes to deal with the present crisis," Naik added.
Naik said that the Centre would place it views before the Supreme Court and ask the court to reconsider some of its remarks made against the Union government.
As far as shortage pf CNG dispensing stations is concerned, the minister said already 94 stations have come up in Delhi. "But we would need time to augment the supply of CNG in the capital. It could be one year or may be more. We would place these facts before the Supreme court. We have time till May 9," he said.
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