New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) The National Green tribunal todayallowed diesel vehicles which are over 10 years old to ply incertain parts of Uttar Pradesh for a period of three years.
The green panel allowed such vehicles to be driven inMuzaffarnagar and some of its neighbouring districts whiledirecting the authorities to phase them out with CNG vehiclesor any other eco-friendly alternative.
The tribunal, however, made it clear that these vehicleswould not enter the National Capital Territory.
"No diesel vehicle over 10 years old will be permitted toply in the NCT. The concerned authorities to take actionagainst the defaulters," a bench headed by NGT ChairpersonJustice Swatanter Kumar.
The directions were passed on an application moved by'Muzaffarnagar Mini Truck Society' which had claimed that allgoods vehicles ran on diesel, which was the only fuelavailable in Muzaffarnagar and its neighbouring districts.
The application had also said that unlike Pollution Boardin NCT of Delhi, no such reports from pollution boards areobtained from nearby areas of NCT like Muzaffarnagar etc. andthat the air was less polluted there which is around 130kilometres away from the Centre.
"There is no CNG pump and BS-IV compliant pump inMuzaffarnagar. Therefore it is not possible for the members ofthe applicant-society to switch over and/or convert theirdiesel vehicles to CNG," it had said.
The NGT had in on September 14 dismissed Centre's pleaseeking modification of its order banning ten-year-old dieselvehicles in Delhi-NCR.
Noting that diesel is the prime source of air pollutionin Delhi, the tribunal had earlier held that all dieselvehicles which are more than 10 years old, will not bepermitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.
The green panel had issued an order last year directingthe Delhi RTO to deregister all diesel vehicles operating inthe city that are over 10 years old. PTI UK PKSARC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.