Forest department’s move aims to do away with use of petrol-diesel vehicles for tourists

The forest department will use only electric vehicles inside tiger reserves for the use of tourists, to promote a clean environment and put a check on vehicles run on petrol, diesel.

As per a government resolution issued on Friday, such electric vehicles should be approved by the regional transport office.

“At places where new vehicles are needed, electric vehicles will be bought on priority. In this case, importance should be given to the families displaced from the buffer zone and protected zone of the tiger project. Electric vehicles would be given 50% concession in entry fee,” the GR said.

It also said this policy will promote Maharashtra electric vehicle policy – 2018 and environment-friendly tourism. The government has announced the policy to make the State competitive in production of electric vehicles and its separate parts at the global level. “The National Tiger Conservation Authority too has recommended use of electric vehicles in tiger projects for tourism and safari,” it said.

The forest department has linked the initiative to the Central government’s National Electric Mobility Plan under which a target has been set to ensure over 60 lakh hybrid and electric vehicles on roads.

The government has set the target to make India an electric vehicle nation by 2030. For this, the Union government has initiated the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric vehicles, which aims to save 120 million barrel fuel and to cut carbon dioxide emission by 40 lakh tonnes.