Tata Motors seeks NGT clarity on diesel vehicle registration ban

The company claimed before the NGT that Delhi Government's Transport Department has refused to register medium and heavy commercial diesel vehicles in the "guise" of two orders passed by it on December 11, 2015 and January 6 this year which was causing "grave prejudice" to its right to carry on business activities. The green panel had on December 11 last year directed that no new diesel vehicle and diesel vehicles which were more than 10-year-old would be registered in NCT Delhi till the next date of hearing.

Later, on January 6 this year, the NGT had said that since the matter relating to air pollution in Delhi was pending in the Supreme Court, it would not pass any directions in this regard at this stage. In its application filed before a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, Tata Motors Ltd said that on December 16 last year, the Supreme Court had directed that registration of diesel-run SUVs and private cars with engine capacity of 2000cc and above would be banned in the NCR till March 31. 

It said that the Transport Department was not permitting registration of medium and heavy commercial vehicles in NCT of Delhi while placing reliance on the blanket ban imposed on the registration of diesel vehicles by the tribunal. "The applicant submits that grave prejudice is being caused to its right to carry on its business activities by the refusal of the Department of Transport, Government of NCT, Delhi, to register medium and heavy commercial diesel vehicles in the guise of the two orders dated December 11, 2015 and January 6, 2016 that have been passed by this Tribunal," the application said. 

It said that a "conjoint reading" of the orders "seem to make it amply clear that at present, there exists a ban on registration of SUVs and private cars of 2000cc and above which use diesel as a fuel in the NCT, Delhi".