Delhi seeks relaxation of SC order for its diesel ambulances

The apex court by its order had prohibited the registration of diesel vehicles of 2,000cc and above in the entire National Capital Region to deal with pollution.

The Delhi government on Friday moved the Supreme Court to seek relaxation of the court’s December 16, 2015, order and to facilitate the registration of diesel-fuelled 110 trauma ambulances with engine capacity of more than 2000cc.

The apex court by its order had prohibited the registration of diesel vehicles of 2,000cc and above in the entire National Capital Region to deal with pollution.

The apex court vacation bench of justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and L Nageswara Rao said the application for the relaxation of December 16 order would be listed in the due course as the lawyer appearing for Delhi government said that in the past the court had modified its December 16 order to address the exigencies faced by different departments and security agencies.

By its order the apex court had doubled the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) for the two-, three- and four-axle commercial vehicles entering Delhi and banned the registration of diesel vehicles of 2000cc or more capacity.

The ECC for two-axle commercial vehicles was increased to Rs 1,400 and for the commercial vehicles with three and four axles to Rs 2,600 for each trip.

Earlier on October 12, 2015, the apex court had imposed ECC of Rs 700 on light duty and two-axle commercial vehicles and Rs 1,300 on three- and four-axle commercial vehicles.