Kochi: The KSRTC on Friday challenged the order of the National Green Tribunal, Kochi bench, banning diesel vehicles aged more than 10 years in six cities. The KSRTC argued that if the NGT order is complied with, it should replace 1,102 buses in a month and the cost of the replacement is estimated to Rs 275 crore.
The petitioner is financially in a stringent condition, it said and argued that it would not be able to conduct services if the order of the NGT was implemented. It pointed out that of the total number of 6,349 buses, 1,102 are above 10 years old. Besides, the petitioner has 117 non-passenger vehicles above the age of 10 years.
The State Pollution Control Board had certified that the vehicles belonging the petitioner are satisfactory and issued on the standard of pollution fixed by them after conducting so many studies and analysis of the emission standard.
Besides, the board or any authority had not published any report stating that the diesel vehicles were causing pollution on attaining 10 years of service. The age of the buses had been fixed as 15 years after conducting proper study by the competent authority.
The general public were mainly depending on the transportation and if such services are stopped abruptly, it would cause hardship to the petitioner and the general public. The petitioner pointed out that the order had been passed without considering the air quality of the six cities.
