After successfully restricting the registration over 2000cc diesel engine vehicles in Delhi-NCR to control the air pollution levels, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is mulling on extending the large diesel engine ban to 11 more cities in India, including top metro cities. The decision will be taken after due deliberation on relevant data as per reports.
The eleven cities on the ban list include Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad to name a few. The SIAM (Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers) has reacted strongly to this proposal saying that this move will be ‘unscientific and uncalled for’. The SIAM has also said that the ban has resulted in the loss of sale of 11,000 units in Delhi-NCR alone affecting around 5,000 jobs. SIAM also said that is the ban is extended across the country, the loss of sales will be approximately one lakh units and will affect 47,000 jobs.
The NGT had also ordered the Kerala government to stop registering diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2,000cc and above, except public transport and local authority vehicles. The Kochi Circuit Bench of the NGT also ban on plying ten-year-old diesel vehicles in six cities. The Kerala High Court stayed the NGT order on new vehicles, but did not interfere with that covering old ones.
Vishnu Mathur, director general of SIAM also said “Vehicle manufacturers and oil refineries have been investing to upgrade to higher emission norms and address pollution concerns. Banning vehicles that meet laid down norms is against the fundamental right of companies doing business in the country.” Manufacturers like Toyota and Mahindra have been greatly affected owing to their large SUV-biased product portfolios. Amongst luxury car manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz has been hit due to the lack of a sub-two-litre diesel engine.
