Supreme Court bans new SUVs in Delhi

New Delhi: In order to reduce pollution levels in the nation’s capital, the Supreme Court on Wednesday banned the registration of all diesel vehicles of 2,000cc and above and SUVs that are generally used by more affluent people as they are more prone to causing higher levels of pollution.

Further, it imposed a total ban on trucks and other goods vehicles not bound for Delhi from entering the capital, and doubled the environment compensation surcharge to be paid by the Delhi-bound vehicles.

No registration of luxury diesel cars till March 31
A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.K. Sikri and Ms. R. Banumathi said “a ban on registration of such vehicles in the national capital territory upto March 31, 2016 will not affect the common man or the average citizen in the city of Delhi.” This order will override any order passed by the national green tribunal, it said.

The bench said, “We had by our order dated October 9 iss-ued certain directions imposing environment compensation surcharge aimed at mitigating the hardship which the people living in Delhi undergo having regard to the high of pollution in the city that has earned to it the dubious reputation of being the most polluted city in the world. Our order was in the same spirit intended to act as a restraint against vehicles not bound for Delhi entering Delhi.”

The bench said, “the said direction appears to have been understood to mean as though vehicles not bound for Delhi could also enter Delhi provided they pay ECC. The intention, however, was the vehicles that are not bound for Delhi are diverted to alternative routes.”


 

Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.