New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) A San Diego-based woman and herdaughter, who had come to India as tourists and landed at thefamous Sarojini Nagar for shopping, faced the shock of theirlives when they found that their car had been towed away bythe police.
When Mary Benny Williams and her 21-year-old daughterasked the people about their car, an Alto, they were informedthat the traffic police has towed away her car as it wasparked on the road near the busy South Delhi marketplace.
The police had acted in accordance with a recent order ofthe National Green Tribunal, under which they were liable topay a penalty and appear before the green panel in case ofnon-payment of the amount.
Williams claimed that there was no signboard in themarket indicating that parking was banned and she hadreluctantly parked her vehicle on the roadside, along withseveral other cars there.
"There was nothing written there and no board of any kindwhich indicates that parking is not allowed. My car was oneof the many cars which were parked on the road and I don'tknow why I am being made to run here and there.
"This is the first time I am coming to the court and I amshivering with fear. I am ready to pay the fine if I havedefaulted the law of the land but when there is nothingwritten there, then why should the civilians suffer," she toldthe tribunal where she appeared today.
Williams, who appeared before a bench headed by NGTChairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, took note of hersubmissions and directed the New Delhi Municipal Council toput a board indicating ban on parking within two days fromtoday.
The NGT had on November 17 banned parking in the marketand said the violators would be fined Rs 5,000 asenvironmental compensation, in addition to the finesmentioned under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The green panel had directed the shopkeepers and theshoppers to park their vehicles at the multi-level parking lotbuilt by the NDMC, which remains open round-the-clock. PTI PKSRKSARC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.