New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal Thursday slammed Volkswagen for not depositing Rs 100 crore, imposed on the German auto major for damaging the environment through use of ‘cheat device’ in its diesel cars, and directed it to submit the amount within 24 hours failing which its directors would be sent to jail.
The green panel on November 16, 2018 had said that use of ‘cheat device’ by Volkswagen in diesel cars in India leads to inference of environmental damage and directed it to deposit an interim amount of Rs 100 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It had constituted a joint team of representatives of the CPCB, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Automotive Research Association of India and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute.
The four-member committee has also recommended Rs 171.34-crore fine on Volkswagen as "health damages" for causing air pollution in Delhi due to excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen said it will comply with the order and deposit Rs 100 crore within the stipulated time frame, reiterating that all its cars conform to emission norms in India.
