KOZHIKODE: The High Court stay on Friday notwithstanding, the ban imposed by the Kochi bench of National Green Tribunal on registering new diesel vehicles with above 2,000 cc engine capacity and prohibiting light and heavy diesel vehicles aged more than ten years from plying in the five major city corporations, including Kozhikode, would affect the supply of goods across the state.
The move has already hit the luxury car industry which was spreading its wings in the state. Companies like Benz and Audi had opened showrooms in the city recently and Toyota has its own sales and customer service network. Toyota sells on an average 250 luxury cars of the above 2,000 cc category in the region alone.
The Consumer Goods Distributers’ Association (CGDA) has warned the government that the entire distribution network of consumer goods in the state would be hit by the order. CGDA state president C.E. Chakkunni told DC that most of the vehicles used for distribution were more than ten years old and of above 2,000 cc engine capacity.
“We have called an emergency meeting of all our members soon which will decide on the future course of action,” he added. “I hope the new government would take proper action,” he said. Meanwhile, the high-end vehicle dealers of the city have reported a sudden dip in demand.
The sales of Benz, Toyota, Audi and many vehicle series of Mahindra & Mahindra have come to a sudden halt. With the high selling Toyota Innova in its stable, Toyota used to sell around 250 high-end vehicles in a month and Benz and Audi around 20 to 30 units.
The sale of some bestselling vehicles of Mahindra & Mahindra like the Mahindra Thar, a popular off roader, Mahindra Scorpio and Mahindra Bolero would be affected, it was pointed out. Amana Toyota vice-chairman (marketing) V. Jithesh told DC that the NGT order instead of reducing pollution would increase it.
“Almost all vehicles with above 2000 cc are made in tune with international emission standards and when you use an engine with lower capacity, you have to accelerate much to climb uphill in the mountainous resulting in more pollution. “Segregation is not a solution to reduce pollution”, he pointed out.
However, the Greens started campaigning in favour of the ban saying CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) should be made mandatory for all vehicles to reduce pollution. “The state has 62 lakh houses and 64 lakh vehicles much beyond the carrying capacity of ecology,” the Kerala River Conservation Council said in a press release.
