DAINIK NATION BUREAU
The National Green Tribunal has outrightly rejected the Centre’s plea seeking modification of its order banning 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR.
The Tribunal noted that emissions from diesel vehicles is carcinogenic in nature and one diesel vehicle causes pollution equivalent to 24 petrol vehicles or otherwise 40 CNG vehicles.
A bench led by Justice Swatanter Kumar government’s plea on the ground that the Supreme Court has also junked a similar plea.
The NGT said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which had sought modification of NGT’s April 7, 2015 order, did not file any review plea and moved the Tribunal “in the guise of seeking modification”.
The bench’ other members are Justices Jawad Rahim, R S Rathore and one expert member BS Sajwan. Opposing the ban order, Union government had said that there was a “misconception” that only diesel vehicle pollutes the environment.
ironically, diesel is the prime source of air pollution in Delhi, the tribunal had earlier held that all diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old, will not be allow to ply in Delhi-NCR. They had issued an order last year directing the Delhi RTO to deregister all diesel vehicles operating in the city that are over 10 years old.