In order to help battle the alarming air pollution levels in Delhi, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday ordered ban on registration of diesel vehicles with immediate effect and also asked Central and State Government departments not to buy diesel vehicles.
In another tough decision, the NGT ordered ten-year-old diesel vehicles would not be re-registered. These are interim steps till the next date of hearing on January 6, said the green court.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said, “As an interim measure till the next date of posting of subject to hearing of all the concerned parties, we direct that diesel vehicles more than ten years of age as already directed, as well as new diesel vehicles would not be registered in Delhi. We also direct the Government to take a conscientious decision with regard to not buying any diesel
vehicle, whether by the Centre or States.”
The NGT also cast doubts on the Delhi Government’s odd-even formula and said it might encourage people to buy two cars, compounding the air pollution problem. It asked the Delhi Government to consider all other aspects which would help reduce air pollution in Delhi.
According to Delhi Statistical Hand Book 2015, Delhi has nearly 88 lakh registered vehicles. Almost a third of them, 27,90,566, are cars/SUVs. Of these, 5,75,715 are diesel vehicles.
According to the transport department, 66,540 diesel-run four-wheelers were registered in Delhi in 2013, 70,359 in 2014 and 70,757 till October 2015.
As far as diesel-run public transport vehicles are concerned, 5,193 were registered in 2013, 7,701 in 2014 and 5,685 this year. But in the commercial goods carrier category, 7,512 were registered in 2013, 4,936 in 2014 and 3,517 in 2015. Out of the total 27.90 lakh vehicles, only 20 per cent are diesel-run vehicles in Delhi.
The NGT had earlier asked the Delhi Government to provide details about how many vehicles were register everyday in the city.
The Tribunal noted that reasonably good number of vehicles are also being registered at Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad and Noida which “are over and above the vehicles registered in Delhi”.
The NGT has directed all public authorities, corporations, DDA, police and other public departments to prepare and submit an action plan by January 6 for phasing out diesel vehicles, particularly the trucks being used by all these bodies.