Green court slams govt on entry of vehicles

“You were supposed to check three things (age, weight and extent of pollution caused by vehicles) at the different entry points to Delhi. Have you done that or not? Stop making jokes of our orders. You can’t just sit and tell us anything you want. We will impose <g data-gr-id="40">cost</g> on your officers,” a Bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The observation came while the Tribunal was hearing arguments on devising alternative routes to ease pressure on Delhi roads. The green panel had on July 20 constituted three teams comprising enforcement department of the transport department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), weights and measures department and Delhi Police to check vehicles for their age, weight and extent of pollution caused while entering Delhi at various entry points.

The counsel for Delhi government found himself in a fix when the bench sought to know the latest status on inspection of heavy vehicles coming to the capital and their entry timings. When he tried to seek instructions from the officers present around him, they too looked clueless.

“Why does this army of officers come when they don’t know anything? It is ridiculous. You tell us on Monday on how many entry points you have complied with our orders. We want details of all departments involved in the exercise, what action you have taken and what instruments you used during inspection. If not, then why?” the Bench said.

The Delhi government told the Tribunal that out of several inlets to Delhi, 83 <g data-gr-id="37">per cent</g> of pollution is captured by 13 entry points. On the Tribunal’s query on <g data-gr-id="41">number</g> of vehicles registered in Delhi, the city government informed the Bench that the total number of diesel vehicles registered in 2013 was <g data-gr-id="42">66,546,</g> while in 2014 it rose to 70,362. In 2015, the total number of diesel vehicles registered till May was 25,759.

Contending that diesel vehicles caused 27 times more pollution than petrol-driven ones, the Bench said, “According to your data, there is an increase in <g data-gr-id="35">number</g> of diesel vehicles in these years in Delhi. God only knows what’s happening in Noida and other areas.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police told the bench that meeting to decide alternate routes, aimed at decongesting the roads till the time Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway are constructed, would be conducted on Friday.