As Delhi continues to reel under rising temperatures aggravated by increasing pollution, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday asked the Centre and Delhi government why its order banning 10-year-old diesel vehicles had not yet been implemented.
The Tribunal, however, extended the stay on its ban order till July 13.
On July 13, the NGT will take up the matter for final hearing, in which the Centre and Delhi government will furnish the reasons for non-compliance of its earlier order. “The Government of India and NCT Delhi both will file their reply as why the NGT should not pass an appropriate order for non-compliance of its order within three weeks. All interim orders will continue,” a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The Bench also asked the Central Pollution Control Board to file additional data in support of its report regarding pollution in the National Capital Region. During the last hearing, it had criticised the government for taking cover of an IIT-Delhi research that vehicles above 10 years give rise to only a “negligible” amount of air pollution.
“What is the basis of this report? IIT has no business to comment on this. This report is not comprehensive enough. They have not taken samples from any place. IIT could have done a better job. You have placed 100 pages without conducting any study. Merely because you are IIT, you can’t be always right,” it had said.
The Bench had noted that the study referred only to private vehicles. “Base data has to be correct taking into consideration all kinds of vehicles moving or stationery. You have not associated anybody with the research and have relied on old data. Don’t try to tell us our order is wrong. The whole IIT report is tilted towards proving that the ban order is bad. There has to be proper reasoning to what you are saying.”
On July 13, the NGT will take up the matter for final hearing, in which the Centre and Delhi government will furnish the reasons for non-compliance of its earlier order
