In another move to curb the worsening air pollution, the Delhi government has decided to deregister all diesel vehicles which have completed or will complete 10 years on January 1. By doing this, the state government will comply with the National Green Tribunal order of 2016.
The transport department of the Delhi government said that it will also issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) so that they could be re-registered in other places. However, the department has said it will not issue NOC for vehicles that are 15 years old or more since the date of registration.
The decision is in compliance with the 2016 NGT order in the matter of Vardhaman Kaushik Vs Union of India & Ors.
As per the transport department, the NOC for diesel and petrol vehicles will be issued as under:
-NOC for diesel vehicles up to 10 years / less than 15-year-old petrol vehicles can be issued for any place in the country.
-NOC for diesel vehicles above 10 years and petrol vehicles above 15 years will be issued for other states subject to the condition that such NOC will not be issued for the places which are identified by the states as the restricted areas in terms of order of NGT, which had directed the states to identify areas where the dispersion of the air is higher and vehicular density is least.
-No NOC will be issued for diesel vehicles that have completed 15 years or more on the date of applying for NOC.
Earlier in October 2018, in an attempt to curb the air pollution crisis in the capital, the Supreme Court had prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the capital.
The transport department order said owners will also have the option to convert their 10-year-old diesel or 15-year-old petrol vehicles to electric ones if they want to continue using them.