No NoC for 15-yr-old Delhi vehicles

The NGT on Wednesday said vehicles older than 15 years in the national capital should be deregistered first and not given any NoC for plying or reselling outside Delhi-NCR. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar also clarified that the entry of diesel trucks aged over 10 years into Delhi was now barred.

Making it clear that its order on Monday to deregister all diesel vehicles aged above 10 years has to be complied with effectively, the court directed the registration authorities to start the process with the oldest vehicles first, that is, diesel vehicles aged above 15 years.

Only deregistered diesel vehicles that are less than 15 years can get a no objection certificate (NoC) for plying in select areas outside Delhi-NCR.

“All diesel vehicles, which are more than 15 years, and are BS (Bharat Stage emissions)-I and BS-II shall be scrapped and no NoC for transfer of such vehicles will be issued,” the order said. The 15-year ceiling for getting a NoC applies to petrol vehicles as well. Some months ago, the NGT had banned them from plying in Delhi.

The transport department, however, said there was already a focus on vehicles older than 15 years and there were not many of them in the capital.

“Very few people in the city are plying vehicles older than 15 years. On an average, people change their cars after 8-10 years. The ones older than 15 years are mostly government vehicles, and we will phase them out,” a department official said.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand and advocate Balendu Shekhar, appearing for the Ministry of Heavy Industries, said that the food supply chain has been affected by the tribunal’s order on Monday.

“I am appearing for the people of Delhi, who have been hit by the tribunal order. The essential services in the national capital have been severely affected leading to a massive chaos from all corners,” the ASG said.

To this, the bench said, “Has the Centre or the Delhi government made a single effort to resolve the diesel ban issue with transport associations?”

The NGT asked the states to identify areas where dispersion of air is higher and vehicle density is less, and asked the RTOs to issue NoCs only for those areas identified by the states.