Blue or orange? Vehicles in Delhi-NCR to soon be color-labeled
The SC has accepted a proposal by the road transport and highways ministry to color-label vehicles depending on the fuel they use. So petrol vehicles will get blue hologram-based stickers while diesel vehicles will get orange ones. For electric and hybrid vehicles, the court has suggested green number plates. The court has asked the ministry to implement the labeling scheme in Delhi-NCR by September 30.
Why is such a scheme being implemented?
This move is a part of the anti-pollution fight in the capital, which has clocked severe air quality levels since years. The court is hearing a petition that has sought solutions to this grave problem. Amicus curie advocate Aparajita Singh had suggested these stickers. They were already in use in Paris, Singh had said, and were more effective than the odd-even scheme.
Stickers to carry other details about the vehicle too
These stickers will now be put up on the vehicle's windshield. They will also include details like the vehicle's year of manufacture, so officials will be able to quickly spot vehicles that may be violating norms. Under current rules, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 aren't allowed to enter the capital.
Over 1L diesel-run cars to go off Delhi roads soon
Earlier this month, the NGT refused to allow 10-year-old diesel vehicles, including the ones that are coming from outside, to ply in the national capital, which is already clouded with high air pollution levels. It added new diesel vehicles, which are not BS-IV compliant, will also not get registered in Delhi. This would remove more than 1L diesel-run cars from Delhi's roads.
1.2 million pollution deaths in India, Delhi worst
A report by Greenpeace found that 1.2 million people die in India every year due to air-pollution related causes; of this, Delhi has topped their list of the 20 worst affected Indian cities. The report added that none of the 168 cities surveyed complied with WHO pollution norms. It also claimed that India loses 3% of its GDP due to air pollution.
Pollution even blinds parking sensors!
Pollution in Delhi is so bad that one-third of the sensors installed at the parking areas in Connaught Place have malfunctioned, since the particles from vehicular emissions have chocked the machines. As a result, they are no longer able to detect empty parking slots.
SC summons top cop directing urgent measures
Last month, the apex court summoned the Delhi Police chief and ordered him to come up with some urgent remedies to tackle the menace. It also lashed out at the Delhi government for failing to specify a timeline for removing the 77 bottlenecks an LG-led taskforce had identified. Rather, the government asked for two years' time, which the court found unacceptable.
