India’s top court has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel vehicles in and around New Delhi and slapped a stiff levy on trucks entering the capital as it struggles with record pollution. In Delhi everyday 1400-1500 new cars get registered.
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More than 1,400 new cars are added every day to the 8.5 million vehicles on Delhi’s roads.
According to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), diesel cars emit five times more particulate matter and seven times more total air toxins compared to petrol cars.
The court had earlier ordered that light duty vehicles would pay Rs 700 and three-axle vehicles Rs 1,300 to enter Delhi in addition to the toll tax from November 1 as ECC in a bid to check high pollution levels in the city.
The National Green Tribunal today said it would first go through the order passed by the Supreme Court and then decide on the plea of auto dealers seeking modification of order banning registration of new diesel vehicles. “The Company respects the order of the Honourable Supreme Court and does hope that these actions help to clean Delhi air”.
The World Health Organization said a year ago that New Delhi had the most polluted air of the almost 1,600 cities that it had surveyed.
The decision effectively stops the sale of popular vehicles such as Toyota’s Innova, Mahindra & Mahindra’s Scorpio, the Tata Safari and Sumo, and Mitsubishi Pajero during the ban period, but existing diesel cars can continue to ply. As much as 80% of demand for luxury cars is for diesel-driven versions.
It also said all taxis in the area have to switch to compressed natural gas by March 31.
It directed the state government and municipal bodies not to burn waste and dispose of these in a scientific manner.
It has said this way – “Why should a rich man travel in a diesel vehicle and pollute the environment”.
On the Supreme Court’s order, Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, CSE, observed, “The SC’s order is more about establishing the principle”.
Successive Delhi governments have faced scathing criticism for failing to come up with a strategy to tackle the smog.
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Having doubled the ECC for the loaded commercial vehicles, the court said commercial vehicles “registered in 2005 or earlier shall not qualify for such entry” and asked state governments and union territories to ensure that vehicles bearing registration numbers of 2005 or earlier do not enter Delhi.
