2018 Supreme Court Order
In 2018, the Supreme Court ordered a ban on the operation of diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Delhi government argues that this ban is not based on a scientific approach. The government says that not every vehicle is an equal source of pollution, therefore, basing the ban solely on the age of the vehicle is not logical.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s Statement
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that vehicles that have passed the fitness test and do not pollute should be allowed to operate on the roads, regardless of their age. She said, “If a vehicle is five years old and is polluting, then action should be taken against it. On the other hand, if a 15-year-old vehicle is still meeting fitness standards and is not polluting, it should not be stopped from running.”
Delhi Government’s Appeal to the Supreme Court
The Chief Minister also alleged that due to the policy failures of previous governments, stringent and sometimes impractical rules have been implemented to tackle pollution. She appealed to the Supreme Court to understand the need for policy-making based on scientific grounds and to seriously consider the Delhi government’s petition.
Dispute over Tax on Diesel Trucks in Delhi
Meanwhile, a dispute has also arisen over the ‘green tax’ imposed on diesel trucks meeting BS-VI standards in Delhi. The Delhi-NCR Transporter Ekta Manch has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, calling this tax unfair. They argue that BS-VI standard trucks are based on modern technology and do not harm the environment, yet they are being charged an additional tax.
Supreme Court Imposed Compensation Fee
It is noteworthy that earlier, under a 2015 Supreme Court order, an environmental compensation charge (ECC) was imposed on vehicles meeting BS-III and BS-IV standards. Now, the truck union is questioning why a green tax is being levied on BS-VI vehicles if they are considered the cleanest standard. It remains to be seen what stance the Supreme Court takes on these two important petitions. This decision will be crucial not only for Delhi but also for millions of vehicle owners in the entire NCR region.
