Delhi has been asked to ban all diesel vehicles older than 10 years by the National Green Tribunal, which on Tuesday said: “Pollution levels are at alarming levels and residents of Delhi deserve better.”
The tribunal also said such vehicles coming from other states should also not be allowed to enter Delhi.
An angry five-judge bench of the tribunal court rapped the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for failing to reduce pollution levels and ordered them to check vehicles at entry points for pollution levels, weight and year of registration.
Diesel vehicles over 10 years face an immediate ban. Vehicles more than 15 years-old are already banned from the national capital. The Tribunal has asked for a compliance report by Thursday.
The court said enough time has been given to the states but its directives must now be implemented immediately. Concerned over the impact of pollution on children, the tribunal said unless stringent measures are taken, pollution levels cannot be curbed.
Last month, the bench headed by the tribunal’s chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had directed Delhi government to submit the exact number of diesel vehicles in the capital and their impact on air quality. The Tribunal said it was disappointed with the response to its directive.
The court has also banned all unregulated construction in violation of environment laws immediately in the national capital region.
