(Image: IANS)
Hearing pleas on ban on diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) as a measure to curb the levels of rising pollution, the Supreme Court on Saturday refused to extend the deadline for conversion of private taxis into CNG.
“Extensions have been given, you should have thought about alternatives by now,” the SC while hearing plea by the taxi owners, who told the court that there was no technology available in the market for the conversion of diesel cars into CNG.
However, making an exception, the Supreme Court allowed the Delhi Police to purchase 190 diesel vehicles special purposes, including VVIP high security under trial prisoners, law & order duties, towing heavy vehicles and patrolling purposes.
However, the apex court asked the Delhi Police to pay 30 percent environmental compensation charge to buy special disel vehicles over 2,000 CC.
The SC in December last year had banned the registration of diesel-run SUVs and cars having an engine capacity of 2,000 cc and beyond in the National Capital Region.
The apex court had further extended the ban till April 30.