The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday directed Volkswagen India not to sell any diesel vehicles fitted with the “cheat device” and further told the company to give an undertaking by 11th January regarding the same. A cheat device is the software used by Volkswagen to bypass emission norms that landed them in the “Dieselgate” controversy. The Ministry of Heavy Industries was reportedly considering penal action against Volkswagen for flouting emission norms.
The Tribunal, which stopped short of ordering a ban on the sale of Volkswagen vehicles in the country for allegedly flouting emission norms, also directed Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to place its investigation report by February 4, the next date of hearing. A bench headed by Justice U D Salvi said, “We do see gravity of the matter. You should not sell cars with defeat device and which are not compliant. Let Volkswagen give an undertaking that it would not sell any vehicle in India fitted with ‘cheat device’.”
Responding to the order, senior advocate Pinaki Misra, who represents Volkswagen told the green tribunal that neither do their cars violate the BS-IV emission norms nor are their cars fitted with any cheat device. He further added that the whole argument is based on the fact of something that happened in the United States whereas they (Volkswagen) are manufacturing different vehicles here.
A Delhi-based school teacher had also moved a similar plea last year to disallow sales, assembly and manufacturing of vehicles by Volkswagen and its group companies until it was established that they were following to the prescribed standards in India. On November 30, Volkswagen had admitted that 11 million diesel engine cars worldwide were fitted with the software that helped in manipulating emission tests.