The National Green Tribunal on Thursday refused to lift its order banning diesel vehicles more than 10 years old in the National Capital Region. A bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar turned down a plea by the Centre, saying that one diesel vehicle caused as much pollution as 24 petrol or 40 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.
Justice Kumar said the Supreme Court too had dismissed a similar plea. In January, the Centre moved the Supreme Court challenging the NGT ban. The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises had said that the tribunal’s ban on diesel vehicles more than 10 years old in Delhi was in violation of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The NGT had in July 2016 directed Delhi authorities to begin deregistering all diesel vehicles in the capital that are more than a decade old. Earlier, the green court had banned diesel vehicles over 15 years old.
Earlier, the Centre had opposed the ban saying there was a misconception that only diesel pollutes the environment. However, the tribunal noted that diesel was a big source of air pollution in New Delhi.
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