Ban polluting cars, not old ones

Petitioning: National Green Tribunal I Petitioner: Law Chambers of Shaan Mohan

More than 37 lakh cars risk turning to scrap as a result of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directions to scrap Petrol vehicles over 15 years old and Diesel vehicles over 10 years old. Sign this Petition and help us prevent national wastage of resources and enable citizens to make use of their beloved well maintained cars. 

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Why NGT’s order lacks merit

Has the NGT considered how much national wastage its order will cause?

As per existing law, a vehicle is considered fit and non-polluting if it passes the pollution under Control (PUC) Test and conforms to the emission norms

Currently Bharat Standard, BS-IV emission norms are in place. Logically, any car irrespective of its age that passes the test laid down for BS-IV cars should be allowed to ply on the roads

Globally, nowhere is age a criterion to determine the road-worthiness of a car

NGT’s rationale that vehicles are the main source of pollution runs contrary to evidence cited by CPCB to establish that the air quality in Delhi during even the odd-even implementation period (when number of cars on Delhi roads was reduced) deteriorated.

The NGT has wrongly placed reliance on the age of a vehicle and not on the fitness of a vehicle.  

It is entirely possible that a relatively new car pollutes more than an old well-maintained one. We are showcasing the results of the pollution test of a 15 year old vehicle that passes the emission standards set for BS-IV complaint cars.

Emmission Standard for BS-IV cars

Result of PUC test for 15 year old car

As per the above image, a 15 year old  (BS-III) Petrol car was tested on 11.02.2019, passed the test prescribed for BS-IV cars. The test shows measured level CO – 0.001% against the prescribed limit of 0.3% and measured Hexane level of 3 ppm against prescribed limit of 200 ppm. 

If the NGT wants to lay down a higher norm for acceptable vehicle emissions, it should do that for all vehicles, age no matter.

The key thought here is that vehicles meeting advanced emission norms get to stay! 

This push towards manufacture of new cars is, in fact, a step towards creating more pollution and denuding natural resources.  Factories manufacturing cars use tonnes of electricity, coal etc and thereby again releasing pollution in the atmosphere to manufacturing such vehicles.

The most dastardly affected are senior citizens – too old to generate money for a new car and not young enough to face the travesty of a public transport system that does not link them seamlessly from home to metro/bus stop.

Although the NGT’s order is not based on any scientific evidence on the impact of old vehicles per se on the environment, there may be respite for us as Govt. think tank Niti Ayog’s proposal to NOT scrap old vehicles is a step in the right direction.  Its proposal to levy a hefty re-registration fee on vehicles older than 15 years (petrol) and 10 years (diesel) to discourage the use of old vehicles that do not match advanced emission norms is the way to go!

Sign this Petition and help us prevent national wastage of resources and enable citizens to make use of their beloved well maintained cars.