SC refuses to ease GRAP measures; Ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel cars to continue
Pollution: Pollution levels in Delhi have dropped from severe to very poor category in the last few days. However, the apex court has said that the existing measures will not be eased until the pollution levels come under control.
The ban on driving BS-3 petrol or BS-4 diesel cars in Delhi will continue at least till Thursday (December 5). The Supreme Court has refused to ease the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Phase 4 measures in the national capital amid high levels of Air Quality Index (AQI). Pollution levels in Delhi have dropped from severe to very poor category in the last few days. However, the apex court has said that the existing measures will not be eased until the pollution levels come under control.
The ban on BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel cars has been implemented under the strict GRAP Phase 4 measures. When the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed the restrictions on November 8. It restricts the movement of certain vehicles to reduce emissions to help reduce pollution levels. The banned vehicles include commercial trucks and public buses running on diesel. Also, private cars conform to old emission standards.
The ban on these vehicles is likely to continue for the next three days. A bench of the Supreme Court has asked officials of the Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh governments to appear before it on December 5 before deciding on the next step. The bench said, "There is hardly any implementation of Phase 4 of GRAP to deal with air pollution in the national capital." The apex court had earlier come down heavily on the Kejriwal government and Delhi Police for not complying with the restrictions under GRAP Phase 4.
The ban imposed on BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel vehicles was partially relaxed in the previous week. CAQM lifted the ban on plying those old vehicles only for use by disabled passengers. For everybody else, the ban continues. Violation of GRAP Stage 4 by operating BS-3 petrol or BS-4 diesel cars incurs a traffic fine of Rs 20,000. Overage vehicles, these are the petrol cars over 15 years old, as well as all over-diesels older than 10, were seized. Vehicles plying without a valid PUC certificate will also be fined Rs 10,000.
