Delhi diesel ban: What SIAM and the worst affected Mahindra say?

The court clarified that its earlier order of October 9 enforcing ECC was meant to ban entry of all commercial vehicles not supplying goods in Delhi.

The registration of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and other diesel cars with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc or more is banned in the Capital and the surrounding region with immediate effect until March 31.

SC agrees to hear a plea for levy of green cess, also called Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC), in addition to the municipal toll to be levied from commercial vehicles entering Delhi.

“2,000 cc and above and SUVs are generally used by more affluent sections…a ban on registration of such vehicles will not therefore affect the common man or the average citizen in the city of Delhi”.

A 100 percent increase in the surcharge would imply that light commercial vehicles with two axles will be required to pay Rs. 1,400 to enter Delhi and commercial vehicles with three and four axles will have to pay Rs. 2,600 for each trip for entering Delhi.

“Lastly, the issue of pollution can not be handled until unless an expert committee is formed which will help in forming an action plan for short, medium and long term with quantifiable targets based upon data to ensure sustained air quality improvements”.

As well as the large diesel sales ban, trucks aged 10 years or older have also been banned from entering the capital while any commercial vehicle not delivering to the New Delhi have also been banned from entering the city limits. It maintained that the issue of diesel vehicles could be successfully tackled if the registration of all diesel vehicles was banned by all neighbouring states as well.

The court said that all those engaged in construction activity would observe the Central Pollution Control Board norms by putting curtains and other devices at construction sites.

The court gave time until March 1, 2016 to all taxi operators and aggregators like Ola and Uber to switch to CNG vehicles. The bench also directed the Delhi government to take steps immediately to fix pavements and to build pavements wherever these are missing, and to take immediate steps for procurement of the requisite vacuum cleaning vehicles for use on Delhi roads expeditiously, and not later than April 1, 2016.

Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur also ordered New Delhi authorities to strictly impose restrictions on the burning of waste. Now comes the order from the apex court of India. Recently, the government of Delhi has proposed the odd-even auto numbers to be allowed on the alternate days which is still known only by the Government of Delhi.