In a bid to combat air pollution after directions to this effect from Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung earlier this month, the Delhi government's Transport Department wrote to the Delhi Police asking them to launch a crackdown against 1.91 lakh diesel vehicles that are older than 15 years across the Capital.
Jung’s order
At a high-level meeting to discuss steps aimed at mitigating air pollution in the Capital, at Raj Niwas, on Monday, Mr. Jung issued directions to all registering authorities and Motor Licencing Officers to start the deregistration of diesel vehicles that are over 15 years old in a phased manner to bring about a reduction of 2 lakh diesel vehicles on the roads.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), too, had pulled up the Delhi government in addition to other States over the issue.
K.K. Dahiya, Special Commissioner (Transport) has written to the Delhi Traffic Police’s Special Commissioner, asking him to comply with the NGT order that states that these vehicles cannot be allowed to ply on the city's roads. “The Transport Department has sent a CD containing data on diesel vehicles that are older than 15 years to the Delhi Police and asked the force to impound them immediately. These vehicles cannot ply and cannot be parked in public places as per the order of National Green Tribunal,” said a senior government official.
The official added that the traffic police had identified 21 sites across the city where these vehicles will be kept after impounding. As per the NGT order, the administration has to deregister diesel vehicles older than 10 years, while directing the authority to phase out vehicles first which are older than 15 years.
