NEW DELHI: The road transport ministry does not find it feasible to implement the National Green Tribunal's order to ban Delhi diesel-run vehicles which are more than 10 years old, especially in case of personal vehicles. Officials told ET that the ministry is likely to stick to its stance of allowing vehicles to ply on roads not on the basis of their age but fitness levels.
"We are looking closely at the NGT order and will be organising our response shortly," said Vijay Chibber, secretary, road transport and highways ministry.
Since the ministry is not a party to the case, it cannot directly appeal against the order, said an official, who did not wish to be named.
However, the ministry is likely to assert its position in favour of personal vehicles in theSupreme Court when the matter comes up, even as it could agree with the NGT's age bar in case of commercial vehicles, the official added.
The ministry's views notwithstanding, Delhi Police has already impounded more than 100 vehicles since the tribunal passed the order on April 7. Earlier, when the tribunal had banned all vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi, the ministry had opposed the move in an affidavit in the Supreme Court.
It had stated that banning older vehicles was not a solution to the problem of road safety and environment pollution and had instead proposed upgrading of emission norms and prescribed frequent checks and inspection of vehicles. "Once the NGT has passed its order its jurisdiction is over. The ministry can put an application in the Supreme Court to appeal against the NGT order," said a senior lawyer, who did not wish to be named.
"Once the NGT has passed its order its jurisdiction is over. The ministry can put an application in the Supreme Court to appeal against the NGT order," said a senior lawyer, who did not wish to be named. Vehicular emissions are among the biggest contributors to air pollution in Delhi, which has the highest number of cars in India. According to the government's estimates, more than 490,383 accidents occur every year in India and a fourth of these are fatal.
"We have already noticed that certain stringent measures need to be taken to ensure that residents of Delhi do not travel closer to ill health with each breath they take," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had said while passing the order. The ministry, on the other hand, wants to push for the Bharat stage IV fuel vehicles throughout India. At present, only 38 cities are compliant with these fuel standards. By 2017, the government wants to implement the Bharat Stage V fuel standards.
