May,1,2016:

SC banned 60K trucks which used to enter Delhi every night, but to no respite.

Supreme Court was visibly disheartened with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data on Delhi's pollution and was compelled to scratch its head in puzzlement on Saturday and ask -what could be the solution to a hydra-headed problem that refuses to retreat despite drastic measures like vehicle rationing and bans on sale of diesel SUVs? “Despite the on going odd-even registration number restrictions, ban on new registration of diesel cars and SUVs with engine capacity of 2000 cc or more and ban on entry of non-Delhi destined trucks into the capital, we wonder why is the pollution level not decreasing,“ asked a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi during the special hearing on the proposal to impose green cess on purchase of diesel cars.

The bench observed: “We banned entry of 60K trucks which used to enter Delhi every night by asking the neighbouring state governments to divert those heavy vehicles which were not carrying goods for Delhi. Those entering Delhi were also ordered to pay environmental compensation cess. If these did not reduce pollution as expected, then we wonder what is the solution for this?“

Senior Advocate A M Singhvi while appearing for Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, quoted a study by IIT-Kanpur, to say that “one-third of pollution load on Delhi is contributed by sources from outside Delhi viz. burning of crops in Punjab and Haryana“.

He argued that by banning registration of BS-IV compliant diesel cars, the court was indirectly compelling the people to keep using BS-I, II and III-compliant cars, which are about four times more polluting than BS IV compliant cars. “ A detailed CPCB study of January 2016, has unequivocally established that while pollution levels in Delhi on account of PM 2.5 were quite high and it was not possible to attribute these levels to four-wheeled diesel passenger cars,“ he said.

Singhvi stated Delhi's PM2.5 level is ordinarily six times higher than the standard level in winters and five times higher in summers. “Such significant excess beyond the prescribed limits cannot possibly be ascribed to one singe source -diesel vehicles,“ he said.

Quoting from the IIT-Kanpur study , Singhvi said: “Passenger cars running in Delhi are found to be contributing only 2% of overall PM 2.5 emissions. Diesel cars running in Delhi contribute only 1.5% of total PM 2.5 load. BS-IV compliant diesel cars, being sold after April 2010, contribute only 0.5% of total PM2.5 emission load in Delhi.“

The bench further said: “The way Singhvi are arguing, it actually appears to be a persuasion for all of us to buy diesel cars.“ As the ongoing arguments remained inconclusive, the hearing would noe resume on May 9.

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