‘Policy soon to scrap CVs above 10 yr to check pollution’

The government will soon come out with an integrated policy to scrap commercial vehicles that are over 10-year old to check rising pollution, but there is no immediate plan to ban trucks and buses above 15 years, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.

The policy envisages tax exemptions and discounts totalling up to Rs 2.5 lakh on vehicles purchased for about Rs 10 lakh at the time of new purchase. “We will form such a policy that more than 10-year-old vehicles will be scrapped. The cost of vehicle will be valued at 10 to 15 per cent of original cost. If vehicle cost is Rs 10 lakh, scrap will be 10 per cent of it,” Gadkari said on the sidelines of a CII event.

He said the need to frame such a policy was felt on concerns of rising pollution in the country because of old vehicles which are based on old technology.

Gadkari said: “Pollution is a big challenge for our country. Paris (Climate Conference) message is that we should pay attention to the environment.” When asked about banning CVs older than 15 years, he said: “An integrated policy to check pollution by over 10 year old commercial vehicle will be formed soon. Cabinet nod will be sought on it and only then it will come into force. There is no such decision at present to ban 15 years old commercial vehicles (CVs)."