Ban on Old Diesel Vehicles in Delhi Put on Hold, Green Tribunal Seeks Solutions

The ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years in Delhi has been put on hold. The National Green Tribunal today asked the Delhi government to find ways of keeping these vehicles off the road.

Last week, the tribunal had banned such vehicles, saying: "Pollution levels are at alarming levels and residents of Delhi deserve better."

The past week has seen the state government struggling to execute the ban. The tribunal today asked the government to suggest by May 1, how best to enforce the ban.

It has also asked the government to suggest incentives for those who scrap polluting diesel vehicles.

This comes as a major relief for car owners in the capital who complained that they were given no notice before such a ban was announced. Truckers had threatened to stop operating in and around Delhi, which would have affected the price of essential commodities.

The tribunal had last week called diesel is the main source of air pollution in Delhi and said the situation was so alarming that people had been even advised to leave the capital.

A day later, over 100 vehicles were impounded by the Delhi police.