BMTA ordered to stop polluting capital
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The Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday ordered Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to reduce the black smoke belching out of its more than 14,000 public buses that is causing pollution in the capital.
The BMTA must follow the order immediately, the court ruled. The court stood by the verdict handed down earlier by the Central Administrative Court.
The case was brought to the court in 2002 by AntiGlobal Warming Association's chairperson Srisuwan Janya, who said the government agency had failed to ensure no black smoke was emitted in the operations of its own buses as well as buses operated by concessionaires. The Pollution Department was also enlisted as a defendant.
The case was brought to the court in 2002 by AntiGlobal Warming Association's chairperson Srisuwan Janya, who said the government agency had failed to ensure no black smoke was emitted in the operations of its own buses as well as buses operated by concessionaires. The Pollution Department was also enlisted as a defendant.
The Central Administrative Court in 2006 ruled that BMTA was negligent and must take action, providing progress reports to the court every three months. However, the Pollution Department was not deemed responsible for the mishap.
“This case, launched on behalf of ordinary citizens, is setting a new standard for government agencies, state enterprises and public organisations involved in public services. They must take into account the quality of life in their operations, above profits or other gains which are shared among executives in the form of bonuses, welfare, and meeting allowances, and stop holding the poor hostage," Srisuwan said today.
Srisuwan was satisfied with the ruling, branding it as the victory that ordinary people had waited for 10 years. He expected that a month from now, BMTA would be officially summoned.
Then, it must launch inspection on all buses every three months for a 1-year period, to ensure that no black smoke is emitted.
"The case took as long as 10 years, but it is a reminder that BMTA and other state enterprises must strictly comply with the law... The association is prepared to move forward, having public vans and public buses operated by Transport Co Ltd as next targets. There are thousands of old public vans operating in Bangkok and peripheral provinces. They are polluting the environment even more than buses," he said.
