Delhi govt requests SC to review 2018 blanket ban affecting middle class the most
NEW DELHI: In a bold step, the Delhi Govt on Friday requested the
Supreme Court
to reconsider its 2018 blanket ban on plying of over 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles on the roads of entire National Capital Region saying stricter BS-VI norm compliant vehicles emit far less pollutants compared to BS-IV vehicles.
It requested the SC to direct the Union govt or Air Quality Management to 'carry out a suitable broad-based, scientific study on the need for continuance of a complete ban on playing of 15 or more years old petrol and 10 or more years old diesel vehicles of all categories in NCR, imposed by the SC through its order on Oct 10, 2018'.
The Delhi govt said the blanket ban, not backed by any scientific study, does not differentiate between poorly maintained,
The directive to off-road vehicles purely on the basis of age disproportionately affects the middle-class population whose vehicles are less used, well-maintained, and pollution norm compliant, the govt said.
'Studies indicate that these vehicles often have significantly lower annual mileage and contribute negligibly to overall emissions,' it said.
It said the significant improvement in Pollution Under Control Technology, increased coverage of PUC testing, stricter monitoring of emission standards, transition to BS-VS engines and other measures have suitably addressed the concerns that had impelled the SC to pass the order seven years ago.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Road-worthiness is a technical and scientific issue that must be linked to actual emissions of a vehicle, which is required to be banned, and not a blanket ban based on the age of the vehicles, it said, echoing the popular sentiments of people living in the national capital region and Delhi.
Delhi govt, through an application settled by additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, said, 'There is a need for a graded, balanced and technology riven regime to handle vehicular pollution issue and instead of blanket ban, a scientific, data-driven framework should be developed taking into account all parameters to ascertain individual emission levels of vehicles.'
Repeatedly stressing that the 2018 blanket ban order needs reconsideration, the BJP govt said vehicular pollution constitutes only one of the several sources of air-pollution, including stubble burning, biomass burning, road and construction dust, industrial emissions coupled with weather and meteorological factors and the intensity of pollution varies from season to season.
Delhi govt said its transport department has strictly implemented PUC has resulted in issuance of 1,63,103 challans in the first seven months of this year, compared to 29,589 challans issued in 2021, 43,494 in 2022, 36,176 in 2023, and 68,077 in 2024.
It said with the augmentation of CNG and electric buses and improvement in road infrastructure, the pollution caused by vehicles has reduced.
It said the good AQI days have increased from 159 in 2018 to 209 in 2024 and good AQI days this year till July was 106. The robust implementation of Graded Response Plan (GRAP) has contributed to reducing pollution in the national capital, it said.
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