National Green Tribunal hits the brake on diesel vehicle sale in Delhi

The National Green Tribunal on Friday struck a death blow to cars running on diesel in Delhi when it issued specific orders that diesel-run vehicles will not be registered in Delhi. At the same time, it also said in its order that there will be no renewal of registration of diesel vehicles that are more than 10-years-old. It also asked the Centre and Delhi government to refrain from buying diesel cars for their departments.
The NGT's orders come close on the heels of the Delhi government revelation of its proposed odd-even formula for vehicles and on the same day that the Supreme Court admitted a plea to ban diesel vehicles in Delhi and other cities.
The NGT's move to ban diesel vehicles is an interim measure to curb alarming pollution levels in the capital city. However, while issuing the orders, the NGT questioned the Delhi government's odd-even formula saying that it may not achieve the desired results as it may incide people to buy two cars instead of just one.

"In view of serious contribution of vehicular pollution to air quality of NCT Delhi, it is important that the government should take a serious view and a decision whether any diesel vehicle, old or new, should be registered in Delhi.
"As an interim measure and subject to hearing all parties in the case, we direct that diesel vehicles which are more than 10-year old and new diesel vehicles would not be registered in Delhi," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The Supreme Court will hear the plea to ban diesel vehicles in Delhi on December 15. Earlier, on April 7, this year, the National Green Tribunal had stated that all diesel vehicles older than 10 years would not be permitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.
The green tribunal noted that diesel was the prime source of air pollition and said that the situation was so alarming that people have been advised to leave Delhi.