delhi-govt-to-seek-uniform-rules-from-sc-on-overage-vehicles

In less than a week after Delhi government took complete u-turn on its much hyped policy decision on fuel ban of old vehicles, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said her government will urge the Supreme Court to allow uniform rules on overage vehicles in the national capital in line with those followed across the country.

 

 Delhi government  rolled back the decision to restrict fuel supply to older vehicles at petrol pumps within two days of its implementation. The controversial order, which came into effect on July 1, had barred 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles from receiving fuel, sparking widespread criticism and confusion.

 

Consequent upon this backlash ,the government urged the Centre’s air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles and said it will make "all-out efforts" to resolve issues related to restrictions on the movement of end-of-life vehicles on city roads.Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, in his letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma, said the fuel ban is not feasible and cannot be implemented due to technological challenges.

 

However, the Chief Minister gave a significant statement which is being seen as taken after considering all related factors on the move. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Gupta said the government will echo the sentiments of the people before the Supreme Court.

 

"We will tell the Supreme Court about the pollution control measures taken by the government. The parameters that are applicable in the entire country should also apply to Delhi. We want Delhiites not to face any inconvenience," she said.The chief minister said they are committed to providing relief to people.

 

A 2018 Supreme Court judgment banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places. Under the now-revoked rule, petrol pumps across the capital were equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to identify and deny fuel to vehicles exceeding the age limits. The move was intended to enforce the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court’s earlier directives aimed at curbing pollution in Delhi.