Delhi fuel ban, the Delhi government has suspended the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles, two days after enforcement, following public discontent and technical challenges. The policy targeted diesel vehicles over 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years.
A motorist looks at a notice announcing the ban on refuelling petrol cars older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. (Pic/PTI)
Last month in May, the Delhi government issued a standard operating procedure on the fuel ban for older vehicles in Delhi. Owing to the government’s directions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (AQM) issued directions to fuel stations that no end-of-life vehicles should be given fuel from July 1.
The End-of-life (EOL) directions were implemented on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years.
However, soon after two days of implementing the ‘End-of-Life’ directions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued that it is not feasible to further execute this plan of action, as technological challenges and complex systems can be a major concern.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, the Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday also stated that there was serious discontent among people due to this move and the government stood with the people of Delhi.
Earlier, the government further suggested that the ban should be implemented across the National Capital Region (NCR) while also slamming the previous AAP government for fixing "strong norms" for overage vehicles.
However, after facing serious backlash and honouring the public interest, the Delhi government has requested the CAQM to suspend the ‘End-of-life (EOL)’ scheme.
Adhering to the situation, in a letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management, Delhi Minister for Environment, Forests, and Wildlife, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, wrote about suspending the scheme.
The fuel ban on old vehicles by the Delhi government and the CAQM was initiated to minimise air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The Delhi government's ‘End-of-Life policy’ focused on the non-operation of petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years by denying the vehicles the ability to refuel at fuel stations in the city.
While writing the letter, Sirsa said, "The GNCTD has been complying with the directions of the Hon'ble NGT and Hon'ble Supreme Court regarding implementing a ban on EOL vehicles, deregistering them and ensuring that they do not apply on Delhi roads," as per PTI.
However, while suspending this scheme of denying fuels to old vehicles, the Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also added that "a stage-wise implementation that begins only in Delhi will not serve its intended purpose. It is highly likely to lead to vehicle owners procuring fuel from adjacent districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, thereby circumventing the ban and potentially fostering an illegal cross-border market for fuel, which would further exacerbate the problem."
(With Inputs from PTI)
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