Enforcement ends, but CAQM's order awaited

CAQM's delay in issuing an official withdrawal of its order denying fuel to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) has created a policy vacuum and confusion among people

- Snehil Sinha

A day after the Delhi government requested the rollback of a controversial directive to deny fuel to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was yet to issue a formal statement withdrawing the order till late on Friday.

The enforcement of the policy, however, has quietly stopped and fuel is now being sold to all vehicles and impounding drives have ceased.

Senior CAQM officials, who were reportedly occupied with high-level meetings on stubble burning with the Punjab and Haryana governments over the past two days, are expected to take a final call on the matter after the weekend, officials familiar with the matter said.

"We have just received the letter from the Delhi government. Any decision that will be taken will be communicated accordingly," a CAQM official said on Friday, asking not to be named.

The delay has created a policy vacuum: while there is no active enforcement, the order still technically stands.

Petrol pump dealers say they have resumed normal operations, giving fuel to all vehicles in the absence of clear instructions.