Green order: No new diesel vehicles in Delhi till Jan 6

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday said no new diesel vehicles would be registered in the capital. It also directed the Central and state governments not to purchase new diesel vehicles and banned registration renewal of diesel vehicles that were more than 10 years old.
This would be an interim step till the next date of hearing on January 6. There are an estimated 5 lakh diesel cars in Delhi.
The green panel also questioned the state government's odd-even formula for vehicles to check pollution, saying it may not achieve the desired result and may even force people to buy two cars.
"As an interim measure, till the next date of posting subject to hearing of all parties, we direct that diesel vehicles of more than 10 years of age as already directed, as well as new diesel vehicles would not be registered in NCT, Delhi. We also direct the government to take a conscientious decision with regard to not buying any diesel vehicle, whether by the Centre or states," a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
Delhi has close to 90 lakh registered vehicles, of which almost a third are cars. The government told the Bench that 1,300-1,400 new vehicles — including heavy, light and two-wheelers — were registered every day in Delhi’s Regional Transport Offices. The tribunal noted a reasonably good number of vehicles were also registered at Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad and Noida.
The green panel directed all public authorities, corporations, DDA, police and other public department to prepare and submit an action plan for phasing out diesel vehicles, particularly trucks being used by these bodies by January 6. In April, the tribunal banned diesel vehicles of over 10 years old in the capital city. In November 2014, the Bench banned all vehicles that were more than 15 years old.
On measures to prevent air pollution in government schools, it directed the state government to submit a proposal to create green belts and install air filters in schools.
Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways wanted that commercial diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old be directed to take a PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate every six months and should be condemned after 15 years. "In relation to petrol vehicles, the ministry does not favour scrapping of vehicle on ageing or otherwise," she said.
The green panel said builders who dump construction material on roads will have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000. Taking serious note of burning of waste in the open, it said violators will have to pay environmental compensation of Rs 5,000 per event. agencies
 
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