The Centre approached the Supreme Court on Friday to lift the ban on 10-year old diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR on the ground that the poor section of the society has been affected by this decision passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The bench of Justices Madan B lokur and PC Pant refused to list the matter, awaiting information about a previous proceeding when the Supreme Court had dealt with an appeal challenging the same decision of the NGT putting ban on 10-year diesel vehicles. The decision was passed on April 7, 2015.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Centre, informed the bench that a previous appeal filed against the NGT order was dismissed by the apex court. But the bench sought the records upon which A-G sought time to file the same.
Rohatgi said that the ban was affecting the poor people in the society as diesel vehicles are considered more economical. But the apex court warned the Centre that Government should not take a “casual approach” when dealing with a case which affected the economy of the country.
The bench gave time to file the records and assured Rohatgi that the matter will be listed once it has access to all the records.
The matter related to diesel vehicles has been pending with NGT since 2014 when the green panel had first placed a ban on all diesel and petrol vehicles more than 15 years old from plying on Capital’s roads. In April 2015, the NGT modified its order applying the ban on 10-year old diesel vehicles in view of the increasing pollution level in Delhi air.
In another jolt to diesel car owners in the national Capital, the tribunal had on July 18, 2016, directed the Delhi Government to cancel the registration of all diesel-powered vehicles which are over 10 years old from plying in the city.
The apex court had on April 20, 2015, rejected a plea against the NGT order banning all diesel and petrol vehicles which are more than 15 years old from plying on Delhi roads.