Delhi Government / Will Delhiites get relief? Rekha Sarkar will go to SC regarding EOL vehicles

The matter of ban on old vehicles in Delhi can now go to the Supreme Court. CM Rekha Gupta and Minister Sirsa have demanded revival of the CAQM order. This ban affects 62 lakh vehicles. Due to technical challenges, its practicality is now being questioned.

Delhi Government: The decision to ban End of Life Vehicles (EOLV) implemented to deal with the serious problem of pollution in Delhi has created a stir in the capital. Under this order implemented by the Delhi government from July 1, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years have been banned. These vehicles are neither allowed to run on the roads nor can they be refueled from petrol pumps.

This strict step has affected about 62 lakh vehicles, including private cars, two-wheelers, trucks and vintage vehicles. At the same time, anger is also clearly visible among the public against this ban, due to which the matter can now reach the Supreme Court.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's stand is clear

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said that the government will raise the voice of the people in the Supreme Court. "This is not just Delhi's fight, but the whole country's," she said. Also, he informed that Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has written a letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) urging to re-submit the plan for reconsideration.

Rekha Gupta said that the people of Delhi already bear many types of administrative pressures and the aim of the government is to give relief to the people, not to punish them.

Pointing to technical problems

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa called this ban technically challenging. He believes that it is not fair to punish those who have maintained their vehicles properly. He informed that the government is developing a system to seize such bad vehicles which are actually spreading pollution.

How was the identification being done?

High-tech cameras have been installed at 498 petrol pumps in Delhi which scan the number plate of vehicles and check their ELV status from a central database. If the vehicle comes under the purview of the ban, fuel is refused.

Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena expressed objection

Delhi's Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena has objected to this order. He has written a letter to the Delhi government saying that "the capital is not ready for this ban yet." He has demanded a temporary ban on the ban, citing inadequate facilities for scrapping.