The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday sought response from the State Government to a plea filed by a Delhi resident alleging that diesel powered interstate taxis operating in the national Capital are violating the Supreme Court directive. Issuing notice to Delhi Government and radio taxi operators — ANI Technologies Pvt ltd (Ola cabs), Serendipity Infolabs Pvt ltd (TaxiForSure) and Uber India Systems Pvt ltd (Uber) — a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar sought their replies by July 3.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Davinder Pal Singh against pollution caused by the “illegal” plying of diesel taxis like Uber, Ola and TaxiForSure. It alleged that cabs bearing All India Tourist Permit are plying as local taxis within the Delhi-NCR region. Singh has contended that diesel vehicles used for public transport affect air quality and therefore, all commercial vehicles, including local taxis operating in Delhi are required to be run only on clean fuel mode (i.e., CNG) as per the apex court order.
The plea sought direction to punish the “offending All India Tourist taxi permit holders” who are using diesel taxis for intra-city transport and restrain Delhi Government from allowing use of All India Permit taxis registered in other States for use as taxis for Delhi-NCR region. The petition, filed through advocate Pankaj Vivek, contended that the judgement of the apex court was passed with a view to check rapid deterioration of air quality in Delhi, which has been becoming a health hazard.
“In Delhi, registration of diesel vehicles for commercial use is permitted only if they apply for and obtain All India Tourist taxi permits in order to use it for intercity business as CNG may not be available in locations outside NCR region,” the plea said. It added that the petitioner is primarily concerned with the air pollution being caused by the respondents by misusing the predominantly diesel vehicles having All India Tourist Permit, for use as local intra-city and NCR taxis by aggregating such vehicles/vehicle owners under their respective mobile apps (known as Ola app or Uber app or TaxiForSure app).
“In this mode of business, the diesel vehicles registered in Delhi as well as other States are able to flout the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 as well as bypass the directions of the Supreme Court and Bhure lal Committee report, which had made use of clean and unadulterable fuel compulsory for public transport,” it said. Noting that diesel is the prime source of air pollution in Delhi, the tribunal on April 7 had held that all diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, will not be permitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.