The Supreme Court Monday said it might impose a one-time “symbolic” cess on diesel vehicles if it decides to lift the ban on registration and plying of the vehicles, even as the Centre claimed the fuel is not the “only devil” causing pollution. “Primarily, we are of the view that diesel vehicles cause more pollution than other vehicles. We may impose a symbolic cess on any person who buys a diesel vehicle — this would be a one-time cess. What should be the scale, price, engine capacity is the thing to be deliberated upon. There has to be a rational basis to decide it,” said a bench led by Chief Justice T S Thakur. The bench, also comprising Justice A K Sikri and Justice R Banumathi, observed that a person buying a diesel vehicle “must realise that he is buying a more polluting car”. It added that the apex court could consider lifting restraining orders on diesel vehicles once it determines the quantum of cess. [related-post] The bench accepted a request to allow an urgent hearing for modifying its order on banning diesel taxis in Delhi-NCR, and said it would examine a roadmap on Tuesday to gradually phase them out. Underlining the hardship to BPOs and inconvenience to women employees, the Centre, Delhi government, trade body Nasscom and some private car manufacturers have sought an extension to phase out diesel cabs from Delhi-NCR. The court had earlier set April 30 as the deadline to phase out diesel cabs. Meanwhile, representing the Centre, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said a ban on registration and plying of diesel vehicles will affect the government’s ‘Make In India’ policy and affect the country’s economy. Kumar questioned the ban, saying emission standards under the Motor Vehicle Act and Rules were not challenged in the court. “Diesel is not the only devil. Petrol and CNG also cause pollution. They have different forms of emission,” he said, citing two studies to highlight that there were various other causes of pollution. At this, the bench underlined that a report by IIT-Kanpur had stated that diesel contributed to 25 per cent of the total pollution. “Is that negligible in your opinion? How can you undermine or underestimate the vehicular pollution when it is one-fourth of total pollution?” said the bench. WATCH INDIAN EXPRESS VIDEOS HERE
