Delhi old car ban: Political and legal controversy over the ‘End-off-Life Vehicle’ (ELV) rule implemented in the national capital Delhi from 1 July has intensified. Criticizing this policy, the Union Minister and Delhi MLA Pravesh Verma said that taking this step without complete preparation is like putting an additional burden on the general public.
No age, pollution decides the validity of the vehicle – Pravesh Verma
Pravesh Verma said that a vehicle should be allowed to run on the road, not based on his age, but according to its pollution status. He raised the question that when this rule is not applicable in other NCR areas like Gurugram and Noida, how can it be rational to implement it immediately in Delhi?
Meeting between CAQM and Delhi government
Pravesh Verma informed that an important meeting is going to be held between Delhi Government and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on this issue. In this, the ELV rule can be reconsidered. Verma said, “It is not appropriate to put a unilateral burden on Delhi until this policy is implemented equally in the entire NCR region.” He also counted technical and practical problems regarding the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) being installed for ELV monitoring.
Environment Minister wrote a letter to CAQM
The Environment Minister of Delhi has also written a letter to CAQM, urging that restrictions like not giving fuel should be considered again, as it is causing huge inconvenience to the public. After this letter, it is expected that there may be partial relief in the rules.
High court intervention: reply summoned on petrol pump dealers’ petition
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has intervened on the issue and sought answers from the Delhi government and CAQM. During the hearing on the petition of Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, the court was told that petrol pump owners have been given the responsibility of not fueling ELV vehicles, even though they are not a law enforcement agency.
Petrol dealers’ lawyers argued, if a vehicle is missed due to any reason, the dealers are being punished, which is not justified. The court has directed the government and CAQM to file a reply by September and said that if a petrol pump is processed, then the court should be informed about it.
Delhiites caught between monitoring and rules
The ELV rule may be aimed at reducing pollution, but it has become a challenge for both public and administration due to the flaws in the implementation and implementation. In the coming days, it will be interesting to see if there is any amendment in the rule or it deepens the dispute.
