Outrage from the middle class and increasing political pressure seem to have pushed the BJP government in Delhi to seek more time to implement the decision to refuse fuel to petrol and diesel vehicles older than 15 and 10 years, respectively.
Voices against the ban on these vehicles, also called end-of-life vehicles, are not new but only grew louder with the latest crackdown. The BJP seems to have responded, but the reasons given by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta differ.
While Sirsa said that the system being used to identify old vehicles was not fully functional, Gupta said the decision was affecting the lives and livelihoods of “lakhs of families”.
In a post on X, she said, “This decision is adversely affecting the daily lives and livelihoods of millions of families. Our government is fully committed to controlling air pollution and is working on long-term solutions for clean, sustainable transport. But while implementing any decision, it is equally important to maintain a balance with the social and economic needs of the citizens. Through this letter sent by Environment Minister Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa ji, we have urged that, keeping the public interest paramount, this order should be immediately suspended and a practical, equitable and phased solution should be prepared by consulting all the stakeholders. The Delhi Government always stands with the people of Delhi with its resolve for public welfare and public facilities.”
The decision to ban end-of-life vehicles from the roads of Delhi as well as NCR (National Capital Region) is not new. It was the National Green Tribunal which first debated the action and finally passed an order to this effect in 2015. The order was also upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
