Vehicle emission, not age, must determine curbs: Delhi CM

Gupta said a more practical, emissions-based approach is required to tackle air pollution caused by vehicular emissions.

Non-polluting vehicles which meet fitness norms should be allowed to ply irrespective of their age, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday even as she urged the Supreme Court to reconsider a ban on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in the Capital.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta (ANI)

The remarks come a day after her government filed an application in the apex court, challenging the ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, arguing the restrictions lack scientific backing.

Gupta said a more practical, emissions-based approach is required to tackle air pollution caused by vehicular emissions. Her government has also underlined the hardships caused to the general public due to the ban.

“It is our duty to represent the voices of the public...The same laws (regarding vehicles) that are applicable throughout the country should be applicable in Delhi as well. If a vehicle is polluting, it should be off-roaded even within five years. But if a vehicle is not polluting and is fit, there should be no restrictions on it. The government has presented its stand before the court. I believe the court will take note of this and grant the people of Delhi their rightful entitlements,” she said during a public event on Saturday morning.

Earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Delhi government faced widespread criticism for implementing a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directive denying fuel to ELVs. The controversial measure was subsequently put on hold following public backlash.

In its application filed on Friday, the government cited the rollout of BS-VI engines, stricter PUC compliance, and expanded emissions testing as grounds for re-examining the court’s October 2018 order.

“To tackle the issue of pollution in the NCR region, a comprehensive policy is required which gives vehicle fitness based on the actual emission levels of an individual vehicle as per scientific methods rather than implementing a blanket ban based solely on the age of the vehicle.”

The application is likely to be heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai on Monday.