After the Delhi government’s disastrous efforts at meeting the July 1998 Supreme Court directive, it wants to wriggle out of its own mess by trying to get diesel with 0.05 per cent sulphur content accepted as clean fuel. Any such dilution of the Court order on clean fuel would defeat the purpose of reducing risk to public health.

The Centre for Science and Environment is extremely unhappy with the way the Delhi government is trying to handle its own inefficiency. Under severe stress from the transporters lobby, the Delhi government has been convening a series of hectic meetings to chart out a contingency plan to pacify the protestors. This time under the garb of helping the 17,000 auto drivers and 1,200 taxi drivers, affected by the Supreme Court directive of moving 8 year old autos and taxis to CNG, the Delhi government wants to move the Supreme Court to get 0.05 per cent sulphur diesel recognised as a clean fuel. This proposition from the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will defeat the whole purpose of the Supreme Court order of moving a sizeable number of old vehicles out of dirty fuel to control particulate pollution and reduce risk to public health.

This, despite the apex court clearly giving its verdict against diesel use in the capital more than once. In its March 31, 2000 the court had categorically rejected the use of diesel in the capital. In the earlier hearing of the April 10, 2000, the chief justice bench explicitly pointed out that the court would consider the feasibility of any alternative fuel including LPG but not diesel. In fact, the bench noted very clearly that even 0.05 per cent sulphur diesel is nowhere near the best quality diesel with 0.001 per cent sulphur content.

It is important to bear in mind that the two days strike called by the transporters lobby is not because of rejection of the Supreme Court’s order but because of the failure of the Delhi government to implement the order in a proper manner. Instead of taking onus for failing to meet the Supreme Court order, the Delhi government is trying to wriggle out of a situation which, has snowballed into a one which is more than it can handle. "Replacement of all pre 1990 autos and taxis with new vehicles on clean fuel by March 31, 2000" mandated the Supreme Court on July 28, 1998. For more than two years, the government has failed to put in place a financial package for these replacements.

Instead of holding up implementation of air pollution abatement measures the government must look into the possible application of green taxes. It is financially possible to make the change over to new technology like CNG by rationalising the tax structure. For example, according to the Delhi government estimates the fiscal incentives that the Delhi government is required to provide under the supreme Court directive for purchase of CNG kits for 41,178 pre- and post-1990 autos and 8,646 taxis will cost about Rs 16 crore. If the government revises the current ridiculously low one time road tax by Rs 2000 for a new car and Rs 1000 for a new scooter, a small amount compared to their costs, the government could net in -- according to the number of registered vehicles in 1998, over Rs 23 crore to finance this change over.

The Chief Minister in her statement on April 12, 2000, had said "The court orders would not be flouted". But the order must also not be diluted.

For more information contact Air Pollution Control unit at Tel: +91 (011)-29955124, 29955125, 29956394, 29956401, 29956399