The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had proposed a ban on diesel vehicles in Delhi that are over 10 years old. This ban, if brought into effect, would lead to the disposal of these vehicles which would then result in more breathable air for Delhiites. However, things haven’t gone as smoothly as the NGT would have liked and this green movement has attracted some disinterest. The disinterested party include those from the transport department, who are against this ban. This has led to the whole process getting bogged down and that’s never a good thing.
The transport ministry held a meeting recently with vehicle manufacturers, environment department, NDMC, PWD, corporations, civil society organizations and IIT Delhi. They also, presumably, wrote a “We are sorry, but we don’t like you” letter to Polar Bears. Obviously, car makers and various industry associations aren’t too pleased about this non-profitable intervention by the transport ministry in the matter. “They kept denying that diesel vehicles pollute. They submitted that CO2 emissions are lower from diesel vehicles. All companies said a ban on ten-year-old diesel vehicles was not necessary,” said one of the participants.