Ban on 10-year old diesel vehicles put off till May 25

In April 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned on all diesel vehicles over ten years of age from plying on the roads of Delhi and adjoining cities. However, the Tribunal had stayed this this ban for two weeks. On May 1, the stay was once again extended to May 18. Now, this date has been pushed forward by another week, to May 25.

The NGT also pulled up a team of scientists from IIT Delhi and the road transport ministry for not submitting a well-reasoned and thorough report on the pollution caused by diesel vehicles that are more than ten years old. The ministry had argued that ten year old vehicles contribute to just 1% of the city's pollution. It had said that these vehicles account for just 7% of the total number of vehicles in Delhi. A study by IIT Delhi had found that in RK Puram, the pollution levels remained that same whether it was a working day with heavy vehicular traffic or a holiday when lesser vehicles were plying on the roads. The NGT bench said that the IIT study only covers private vehicles and not contribution from diesel commercial and heavy vehicles.

The NGT has come to the conclusion that emissions from diesel vehicles were the main source of air pollution in Delhi and banned diesel vehicles more than 10 years of age from the Delhi-NCR region. It has also banned all vehicles over fifteen years of age from plying on the roads of the national capital from November 26, 2014. This order was challenged by a petitioner in the Supreme Court. However, the Court had dismissed the petition and ruled the case in favour of the NGT.

Source: Economic Times