NGT defers diesel vehicle ban, government relieved

New Delhi, April 13: The Delhi government on Monday heaved a sigh of relief as the tiol Green Tribul decided to defer by two weeks the implementation of its order to impound more than 10 years old diesel vehicles plying here. Arguing that the implementation was not practically possible in such a short time, Transport Minister Gopal Rai said all main entry and exit points in Delhi would have witnessed major traffic srls as trucks coming from others states would not have been able to turn back due to lack of adequate U-turns. “The 15-day time that we have got will help us in chalking out an effective plan to effectively implement the NGT order,” Rai said. Earlier in the day, the minister met the transport commissioners of Delhi, Harya and Uttar Pradesh to filise a joint action plan to implement the order.

“As most diesel vehicles entering Delhi come from Uttar Pradesh and Harya, thus, the role of neighbouring states is crucial to implement the NGT order,” Rai said. However, Rai as well as the transport commissioners argued that the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988 needs to be ratified to successfully implement the NGT order.

Rai further said he along with the two transport department commissioners would be meeting union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in a few days to chalk out an effective plan. Keeping in view the transportation needs of “essential services”, the NGT on Monday deferred its order barring the entry of more than 10 years old diesel vehicles in Delhi. Noting that diesel was the prime source of air pollution in Delhi, the tribul on April 7 ordered that all diesel vehicles which were more than 10 years old will not be permitted to ply in Delhi and the tiol Capital Region. The tribul’s direction came while hearing a petition of Vardhaman Kaushik who had contended that the level of particulates in Delhi was rising manifold. “The order has been partially modified today largely because of essential services being hit,” Sanjay Upadhyay, lawyer for applicant Kaushik, told IANS. He said a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said there shall be no impounding of vehicles for two weeks. They also made it clear that the order was being deferred only for two weeks. It also asked the city government to submit suggestions on providing incentives to those transferring/scrapping old, polluting diesel vehicles and on fixing a cap on the number of vehicles to be registered in the capital. (IANS)