Supreme Court clears action against pre-BS IV vehicles in Delhi-NCR as pollution worsens
Earlier, apex court had directed that diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old should not face coercive measure
PTC Web Desk: Amid rising air pollution levels in the national capital, the Supreme Court has permitted authorities to initiate action against end-of-life vehicles that do not meet BS-IV emission norms in the Delhi-NCR region.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, revised its earlier directions after the Delhi government urged the court to reconsider its stance in view of the deteriorating air quality. The city government argued that older vehicles with outdated emission standards are a major contributor to pollution.
Appearing for the Delhi government, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted that vehicles conforming to BS-III and older norms emit significantly higher pollutants and should not be granted protection. She told the court that continued use of such vehicles was aggravating the air quality crisis in the region.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, serving as amicus curiae in the long-running air pollution case, supported the submissions and pointed out that BS-IV norms were introduced in 2010, while BS-III vehicles predate that period.
Taking note of the arguments, the court modified its August 12 order, clarifying that no coercive action will be taken against BS-IV and newer vehicles solely on the basis of age, that is, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. However, the revised order allows authorities to proceed against vehicles falling below BS-IV standards, even if they qualify as end-of-life vehicles.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old should not face coercive measures. The latest modification comes against the backdrop of worsening pollution and growing concerns over the environmental impact of older vehicles.
The court also addressed administrative issues related to traffic management, directing the NHAI to explore the feasibility of relocating nine toll collection points currently operated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to sites that can be managed by the NHAI.
In addition, the Bench stressed the need for wider public participation in pollution control efforts and instructed authorities to strengthen citizen awareness initiatives. It suggested involving Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and paralegal volunteers to act as community-level representatives in spreading awareness.