Kolkata, July 9 - To ban or not to ban? This question is uppermost in the minds of West Bengal's officials and transport operators, who appear to be heading for a showdown, as the authorities are determined to implement a high court ban from July 31 on commercial vehicles that are more than 15 years old.

The state transport department's decision has triggered resentment among commercial vehicle operators who make their living in and around Kolkata.

'It's an injustice to all of us. The government should not ban all vehicles which are more than 15 years old in the name of environmental pollution. If any such vehicle is spreading pollution the government can certainly impose the ban and phase it out. But not those vehicles which are in good condition,' said Swarnakamal Saha of Kolkata Metropolitian Bus and Mini Bus Owners Association.

He said they were in talks with the Bengal Bus Association and Joint Council of Bus Syndicates to arrive at a unanimous decision.

'We are planning to launch a big movement against this decision. The government has no sympathy for us,' Saha added, alleging that the government had turned its back on commercial vehicle operators.

But the state government seemed unfazed.

'We'll begin our drive from July 25 to phase out the old vehicles. We'll ensure that after July 31 not a single commercial vehicle that is more than 15 years old plies in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA),' state Transport Secretary Sumantra Chowdhury said.

When it was pointed out that the order would inconvenience commuters he said: 'Yes, they'll be in trouble. But what can we do?

'These people (transport operators) did not do what they should have done. Over the last one year they should have started the process of buying new vehicles by disposing off these oldies.'

Chowdhury said initially the court had decreed that the order be implemented by the state government by Dec 31 last year. 'But we got it extended till July 31, 2009'.

'The government is unilaterally taking all decisions keeping in mind the interests of drivers and conductors.