The National Green Tribunal on Monday sought response from the Centre and German automobile major Volkswagen on a plea seeking a ban on sale of its vehicles in the country for allegedly flouting emission norms. The green bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Central Pollution Control Board, Volkswagen group and ARAI seeking replies from them by December 23. The direction came on a plea by south Delhi residents —Satvinder Singh Sodhi, Vellore Ramesh Neela-kantan, Deepit Singh and a private firm seeking a court directive to restrain Volkswagen India and its group companies from selling vehicles fitted with cheat devices.
The plea called for directing Volkswagen to provide comp-arative technical specifications (power, torque etc) in respect of each model of the passenger vehicles sold by them between that which existed before the proposed action in respect of the recalled vehicles is completed and after the same has been completed. The petitioners further contended that air quality in Delhi and around has reached such alarming levels that inmates are being advised to leave city and install air-purifiers in their homes and offices.