NGT Serious on BS-IV Implementation, Slams Public Oil Companies
Published On Feb 28, 2017
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on its stand against the non BS-IV vehicles, has slammed the public sector oil companies in India. The Tribunal, has told these companies to submit status reports, clarifying the situation of 10 or more years old diesel trucks and oil tankers used for transporting petroleum products in the country. It is learnt that the companies, despite repeated warnings, have not submitted any reports till date.
Public sector oil companies including Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum have been directed by a NGT bench to file and submit affidavits mentioning whether the trucks and oil tankers used by these companies are BS-IV reliant or not. The bench, has also warned these oil companies about the heavy fines that would be levied on them, in case these fail to file the said affidavits in time. March 2, 2017 has been scheduled as the date for hearing on the same matter.
It is a proven fact that heavy vehicles are majorly responsible behind the rapidly increasing air pollution in India. Additionally these also consume the most of fuel (Diesel) imported in the country.
A lot of people fall ill with medical conditions ranging from breathing allergies to asthma because of the rising air pollution levels. The National Green Tribunal of India, from banning diesel powered buses on Rohtang - Manali route to finalising BS-IV emission norms implementation from April 1, 2017, has taken several steps towards curbing the pollution problem in the country.
This recent move of asking the public oil companies about filing affidavits stating the emission norms, their oil delivery vehicles adhere to, is a proof of the seriousness the tribunal has given to the implementation of the BS-IV emission norms.
And though the CV industry stands divided on the BS-IV implementation date, the NGT, does not seem to be in a mood to further relax the already announced dates. Moreover, it is a universally known fact that the Government of the country is also working on an ‘old vehicles scrapping policy’.
