Won't modify order for deregistering diesel vehicles over ten years old: NGT

A bench headed by Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the National Green Tribunal or NGT has refused to modify its order directing the deregistration of diesel vehicles over ten years old in Delhi. Goel noted that the Supreme Court has already dismissed the appeal against its order. The tribunal was hearing a plea by the Haryana Progressive Schools Conference, an association of CBSE and ICSE-affiliated schools from Haryana, seeking impleadment and modification of orders of the NGT. The plea was that the covid period be excluded for calculating ten years.

"As noted in the order dated July 18, 2016, appeal against order dated April 7, 2015 directing that more than 10 years old diesel vehicles be not allowed to ply on Delhi-NCR roads was dismissed by the Supreme Court. In these circumstances, modification sought is in the nature of review. Review of the order against which appeal has already been dismissed is not permissible. The applications are dismissed," the bench said.

The NGT had earlier declined to lift the ban noting that the emissions from diesel vehicles were carcinogenic and that the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has failed to prove that the use of 10-year-old diesel vehicles will not be harmful to the health of people. It further cited a report by the Central Pollution Control Board which declared that a new diesel car is equivalent to 24 petrol and 84 new CNG cars on road. The NGT thereby concluded that the use of diesel in vehicles eventually leads to an untimely fatality.

The NGT had banned all diesel vehicles over ten years old from being driven on Delhi-NCR roads on April 7, 2015. It then ordered the deregistration of 10-15 years old diesel vehicles in Delhi in a phased manner on July 18 and 20, 2016. It added that diesel vehicles over 15-years-old should be deregistered first. Furthermore, they will not get a No Objection Certificate (NoC) for driving outside Delhi.