CAQM asks SC to roll back relief given in Aug to ELVs

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas has cited noxious air and asked the Supreme Court to review its August 12 direction for no coercive action against those driving 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in Delhi.

- Abraham Thomas

The commission has also proposed a long-term measure to raise the Environment Compensation Charge - currently 1% - on luxury diesel cars and SUVs with engine capacities of 2,000cc and above, as mandated in a 2016 court order.

The court in August effectively stayed the implementation of its October 2018 order, which affirmed a 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) judgment seeking to keep polluting vehicles-end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) with outdated emission standards of BS-III and below off the roads to combat the noxious air. The order led to thousands of ELVs returning to the roads, prompting CAQM to analyse their emission load in comparison to vehicles compliant with the current BS-VI standards.