Diesel ban improper way to curb pollution says environment minister

Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar expressed displeasure over the Supreme Court’s move to ban the registration of vehicles above 2,000cc in Delhi-NCR, at the inauguration of the new Force Motors engine plant at Chakan, Pune on June 22. He indicated that the automotive segment is losing out on cars equipped with latest technologies and which are less polluting due to the restriction.

“This is not the right way (to curb air pollution). It’s unfortunate,” he said, referring to the diesel ban. "It is not right that latest vehicles, which are less polluting, will be banned and old vehicles, which are more polluting, will ply on the road.”

Moreover, he came out strongly against the judiciary for ordering the ban. “Policy and execution is the job of the executive. Legality of any decision is the job of the judiciary.  Legislature’s job is to legislate and these are the few organs, which are created by the constitution and they must work independently. We must respect each other and we must work independently that is the real need of the hour,” he said.

In a bid to tackle the rising levels of pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court had imposed a ban on the sale of diesel cars and SUVs with engine capacities over 2,000cc, starting mid-December until its expiry on March 31, 2016. However, since then, the apex court has extended the ban thrice, and the same is now in place until the next hearing.

Talking about the government’s decision to leapfrog to BS-VI emission standards by April 1, 2020, the minister said that he appreciated the efforts by some automakers in working towards introducing BS-VI compliant cars to adhere to the deadline. “Very happy that once the government notified early migration to 2020, carmakers have started producing BS-VI compliant vehicles,” he said, while pointing out that Toyota has started working on BS-VI compliant engines at its plant in Bengaluru.