NGT Order May See 2.82 Lakh Diesel Vehicles Go Off Delhi Roads

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today announced its decision to ban 10 year old diesel vehicle in Delhi effective immediately.  A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar NGT has asked the government to cancel the registration of all diesel vehicles that are older than 10 years measures to deal with pollution in the capital. The Green court also mentioned that vehicles more than 15 years old are already banned in Delhi.

About 2.82 lakh diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, may go off roads if the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order to de-register such vehicles is implemented in Delhi. As per official figures, there are a total of 5.9 lakh private and commercial diesel vehicles registered with the Delhi Transport Department and out of them 1.21 lakh commercial vehicles, while 1.61 lakh private vehicles including cars, jeep, tractors, which are more than 10 years old.

A senior Delhi government official said that the Transport Department will give a last opportunity to the owners of these vehicles to get No Objection Certificate (NOC) from it to enable them to sell their vehicles outside the capital and failing which it will cancel registration of such vehicles.

"We will ask the owners of 2.82 lakh diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, to apply for NOC in the Transport Department to sell their vehicles outside Delhi. Government will give sometime to them so that vehicle owners could get NOC from the department."

Department is also considering to apprise such vehicles owners by either sending notices to their addresses or giving advertisements in newspapers so that they could get NOC from the RTOs.

The official went on to state, "If they fail to do so, Transport department will start de-registering them and share details with the Delhi Traffic Police to take strict action against them. Teams of Transport Department and Traffic Police will impound vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, if they are spotted on roads," the official also said.

The tribunal passed the order after noting submissions of Delhi Police which said that it has made continuous attempts to stop vehicles which were more than 10 years old from plying on the roads of the national capital.

The National Green Tribunal, which has been mulling over measures to deal with pollution in the capital for some time now. Back in April 2015, the green court issued a definitive directive to the Delhi government on Tuesday asking for a ban diesel vehicle older than 10 years and also restrict similar vehicles from other states should also not be allowed to enter Delhi.

Last year while issuing the directive, the tribunal had said that, "Pollution levels are at alarming levels and residents of Delhi deserve better." It further added, "Existing state of affairs, the scientific data indicates the problem is very severe and its result can be drastic if permitted to persist. The response of authorities is lacking will, bona fide and shifting of responsibilities from one department to another and finding faults with different departments has been the defense before us."