The government also proposed to increase registration tax for all categories of private vehicles — registered in the name of companies and partnership firms — by 25 per cent of the existing rate. Terming vehicular pollution as the main cause of Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced a heavy penalty on diesel commercial vehicles entering the city while presenting the AAP government’s first annual budget on Thursday. The penalty would not be a one-time fee levied on vehicles, but would be on a per entry basis. Sisodia said polluting trucks of different categories such as four, six, 10 and 14-wheeler vehicles would be penalised Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 respectively. A fine of Rs 100 will also be levied on polluting tempos. “We are committed to ensuring clean air not only for the present but also for the future generation. We will increase the availability of public transport running on clean fuel. The alarming levels of air pollution is a cause of concern for us. Since a large number of diesel vehicles enter Delhi, we are levying a heavy fee on them,” Sisodia said. When asked if this would increase the cost of the goods these trucks would be carrying, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “I have made a few calculations. If a truck carries one tonne of vegetables then per kilo shift of the penalty would come to 10 paise.” Sisodia further added, “We have to pay a price to check pollutants in the city.” The government also proposed to increase registration tax for all categories of private vehicles — registered in the name of companies and partnership firms — by 25 per cent of the existing rate. The deputy CM further said that pollution under control (PUC) monitoring centres will be set up to keep a tab on pollution checking centres. These centres will function on real time basis from July 2015, which will avoid manual interference particularly with regard to tampering of data. To promote pollution-free transport in the capital, the deputy CM proposed a subsidy on battery-operated vehicles such as e-rickshaws. Sisodia said a one-time fixed subsidy of Rs 15,000 to each e-rickshaw owner would be given, once it is authorised by the Transport department and the vehicle is registered with the authority. To curb pollution caused by burning of garbage, leaves, waste, plastic, rubber, among others, the government announced a penalty of Rs 5,000. “This is prescribed by the NGT,” Sisodia said. For disposal of hazardous waste, 14 acres land belonging to the North corporation has been given to DSIIDC to set up a treatment storage plant. The 16 MW waste-to-energy plant at Ghazipur will soon be made operational. The government also said it will plant 12 lakh saplings. 10,000 more buses, single fair system