Air pollution: NGT issues notice to Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to two public sector oil companies asking them whether they use any diesel vehicle which is more than 10-years-old, while allowing registration of new BS-IV compliant ones for transporting petrol or petroleum products.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar sought the response from Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and asked for their reply by January 9.

The direction came while hearing a batch of petitions filed by various contractors seeking registration of new BS-IV compliant diesel vehicles purchased for transport of petrol from company depots to identified petrol pumps in Delhi-NCR.

The contractors had moved NGT after the tribunal had last year passed an order banning the registration of new diesel vehicles as well as re-registration after 10 years.

Later, the Supreme Court had also banned registration of diesel-run SUVs and cars having engine capacity beyond 2000cc in Delhi and National Capital Region.

Due to this, the transport department was not registering the newly procured vehicles, which conform to BS-IV norms and not re-registering the old vehicles, the plea had said.

The green panel had last week directed the applicants to file an affidavit stating that they do not own any diesel vehicle which is more than 10-years old and the new vehicles will not be used for "private purposes".

"All these vehicles will be fitted with GPS system and log book shall be maintained. It will be certified that these vehicles are BS-IV compliant before the registering authority.

"Upon being satisfied of the above, registering authority of transport department shall be permitted to register these vehicles in accordance with the law," the bench said.