SC might change order on Delhi taxis

The Supreme Court might pass an order on Tuesday, modifying its earlier stand on banning diesel taxis plying in Delhi, unless they change over to CNG fuel. "We are open to modify the order, but not unconditionally," the Bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur observed during the hearing. The court will hear the issue of taxis exclusively on Tuesday.

About diesel, the court remarked that "we shall assume that it is more polluting than other fuels. The diesel vehicle purchaser must know that it is a more polluting."

The court heard the diesel vehicle manufacturers who argued with their documents that their fuel was cleaner than CNG and petrol, and contributed only 1.5 per cent of the total air pollution. Senior counsel A M Singhvi, representing the manufacturers submitted that industrial pollution,constructions, burning crops and other factors were the main culprits.

Kapil Sibal, representing Toyota which makes Innova model, argued that it was not a high-end vehicle as some people believed, but it was used to ferry BPO staff in the National Capital Region. Restrictions on these vehicles will affect 14,000 employees in the NCR alone and the country will suffer if this business goes to other countries.

He said that all vehicles are within the BSIV norms and if these vehicles are banned, second hand cars with higher pollution emissions will damage the air more. Moreover, the ban on engines with 2000 cc and more is not rational as it is not the engine power which decides pollution, but technology.

Sibal sought more time to bring a scheme allowing the diesel car manufacturers to switch over to alternative fuel if necessary. Uber and Ola, taxi aggregators, also wanted change in the December 16 order which restricted their business.

Solicitor General Ranjit Sinha claimed that the government is enforcing strict norms on pollution all over the country. He handed over three sets of documents to prove his claim and listed factors other than vehicles which contributed to pollution. According to him, pollution has come down due to enforcement of the rules.