The Supreme Court on Monday continued the registration ban on diesel vehicles above 2000cc in Delhi-NCR and asked diesel car manufacturers to be prepared for levy of a one-time surcharge for polluting environment in the event the ban is lifted.
Faced with a flurry of applications moved by diesel car manufacturers to lift the ban, the apex court hinted that the proposed charge could be graded according to the category of vehicles similar to the Environmental Compensation Charge levied on diesel trucks entering Delhi. Hinting at the possibility, the Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur, Justices AK Sikri and R Banumathi said, “You (manufacturers) need to present to us a consolidated view on what charge is acceptable to you. There can be different categories to which different charge may apply, for instance, luxury cars, and other vehicles using diesel above 2000cc not used as luxury vehicles.”
Senior advocate CA Sundaram who appeared for diesel car manufacturers said that even heavy and medium commercial vehicles are not being registered under the garb of Court order banning registration of diesel vehicles above 2000cc. The bench replied, “There is no need to register trucks in the city. Already so many vehicles are choking the city. In our view, there should be a congestion charge at the time of registration.”
Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium who appeared for Mercedes selling its top-end cars, all above 2000cc, submitted to the Court that diesel vehicles had higher emission norms and burnt 25 per cent less fuel compared to petrol. But the bench told Subramanium, “You should set the tone for other places in the country. We do not want to target anybody but this is your city. We are talking of your good.”
When Sundaram pointed out that petrol cars emit higher levels of carbon monoxide making diesel a cleaner fuel, the bench remarked that the senior lawyers were acting as salespersons for their clients. “You remind us about the salespersons who sing praises for their cars when at the Supreme Court we line up all car manufacturers to buy us a car.” The bench noted that most users of luxury cars wont mind shelling out few lakhs of rupees more towards environment compensation charge. “You may be passionate about your clients but you breathe the same air.”