In a radical move to combat against pollution in New Delhi, India’s Supreme Court has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel cars in Delhi and the surrounding region. The ban, which comes into immediate effect, will last until March 31, 2016.
The mandate passed by the courts affects the sales of diesel vehicles with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc or more, and comes after India’s National Green Tribunal requested for a month-long ban on the registration of all diesel cars to help clean up the air in Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world.
The court said the order will not impact India’s “common man,” according to a Reuters report. However, it did prohibit trucks from passing through the city to reach other states, while trucks that were more than 10 years old are banned from New Delhi altogether. Trucks making deliveries to Delhi itself are required to pay a now-doubled charge of 2,600 rupees (RM168).
Other measures to counter the toxic smog in the city include replacing diesel taxis with natural gas-powered ones, along with a prohibition on burning solid waste. Come January next year, the courts will decide upon a green tax levied on all diesel cars sold in the country.
The move has received the support from environmentalists, who are pushing for the order to be extended beyond Delhi to other cities that are experiencing high levels of air pollution as well. Analysts however say that this move could be detrimental to the automotive industry.
According to data from the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers, until March this year, 37% of all passenger vehicles sold in India were diesel variants, while 90% of SUVs or other utility vehicles sold last year are diesel-powered, mainly because the fuel is cheaper than petrol.
The Delhi region, for instance, accounts for almost a quarter of Mercedes-Benz’s sales in the country. The ban would “severely impact” growth plans and future investment in India, claimed the German marque. “We also have to consider the loss of jobs that this will result (in) at the dealerships, at the vendors producing diesel engines,” a spokesman said in an emailed statement.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
“We also have to consider the loss of jobs that this will result (in) at the dealerships, at the vendors producing diesel engines,”… is a gentleman’s way of putting it. It simply means “If we (MB) cannot sell cars here (Delhi), we are closing down and your country will have more jobless to worry about. Don’t play play I tell you.” Wow threatening a government… sounds familiar…