India bans sale of diesel vehicles in Delhi region

In the poll, only 32% (3870 votes) respondents agreed with the question – Is it fair to single out diesel vehicles only for polluting Delhi?

The courts are pushing the authorities to act over New Delhi’s toxic air, ranked as the worst in the world in a World Health Organisation survey past year of over 1,600 cities. “It is noteworthy that diesel vehicles of 2,000 cc and above and SUVs are generally used by more affluent sections of our society and because of the higher engine capacity, are more prone to cause higher levels of pollution”.

The green panel’s observation came while hearing a plea by five Delhi based auto dealers who had sought modification of December 11 order which said there would be no registration of new diesel vehicles in Delhi. The city has 8.5 million vehicles on its roads, up 97 percent from 2,000, and 1,400 new cars are added to the streets every day.

The ban on new diesel vehicle registration would last until March 31, according to local media reports.

Shares in one of India’s largest diesel carmakers, Mahindra & Mahindra, tumbled 4% on the Mumbai exchange following the ban.

The bench directed the NCT government “to take immediate steps for fix of pavements and make pavements wherever the same are missing and also to take immediate steps for procurement of requisite vacuum cleaning vehicles for use on Delhi roads expeditiously but not later than April 1, 2016. You could enumerate the steps to be taken and why you are asking the court to do it”, it said.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.K. Sikri and R. Banumathi said: “A ban on the registration of such vehicles in the National Capital Territory upto March 31, 2016 will not affect the common man or the average citizen in the city of Delhi”.

These extremely fine particles – less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter – are linked to increased rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease. An overwhelming 74% (8727 votes)said they won’t consider buying a plus 2000cc diesel vehicle even if registrations do begin once again next year.