The city government was directed to submit the exact number of diesel vehicles plying in the capital and their impact on air quality by April 7, the next date of hearing.
The National Green Tribunal on Monday directed the Delhi government to submit a report on the proposal to ban all diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, in the national capital.
A bench headed NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed the city government to submit the exact number of diesel vehicles plying in the capital and their impact on air quality by April 7, the next date of hearing.
"Presence of pollutants in ambient air is a matter of serious concern for all stakeholders. Human health is right to life and must take precedence over commercial and other infrastructural projects. Principle of intergenerational equity demands that all institutions including legislature, executive must make all possible endeavors to ensure proper air quality. We direct the NCT Delhi to submit its view as to why all the diesel (commercial or otherwise) vehicles plying in Delhi which are more than 10 years old should not be taken off the roads and be not permitted from plying in the city," the bench said while hearing a petition related to vehicular emission.
The tribunal said it was "pained" to note that despite its repeated persuasive and mandatory orders, the authorities have not risen to take effective steps.
"Existing state of affairs, the scientific data indicates the problem is very severe and its result can be drastic if permitted to persist. The response of authorities is lacking will, bona fide and shifting of responsibilities from one department to another and finding faults with different departments has been the defence before us," it said.
During the hearing, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) told the bench that a team comprising of Central Pollution Control Board and Delhi Pollution Control Committee had inspected 15 old and 12 new low floor buses of DTC that are plying on the roads of Delhi.
"Out of these, 12 new buses were found to be compliant with the prescribed emission norms while out of 15 old vehicles 9 were found compliant and six were found to be non-confirming to the prescribed standards," the corporation said.
The tribunal directed that all the six buses mentioned in the report of CPCB shall be taken off the roads of Delhi and if these buses are found to be plying on the roads of Delhi, CEO of DTC shall be personally responsible for consequences for violating the orders of the Tribunal.
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