EPCA circulates draft formula on diesel cabs ban

Registration of diesel taxis holding all India permits should not be renewed, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority has said in a recent a slew of proposals.
The proposal forms part of a draft formula, circulated by the anti-pollution body among offices of the Union and Delhi governments, arrived at after meeting with taxi operators, cab aggregators and senior officials of the national capital and its neighbouring states.
One of the experts who attended the meeting held yesterday said that EPCA expressed concern over the spike in registration of diesel vehicles under all India tourist permits which was around 20,000 last year itself and discussed ways to put and end to this.

"Since there is no ban on registration of diesel cabs under all India tourist permit (AITP), people have been exploiting that loophole and running those vehicles in city routes. We have suggested that future registrations of AITP be done only for petrol and CNG cars.
"We have also suggested that the existing registrations, which have a life of five years, are not further renewed. These draft proposals have been circulated among the governments," CSE director general Sunita Narain, an EPCA member, said.
The Centre today raised in the Supreme Court the issue of restriction put on plying of diesel run taxis in Delhi and National Capital Region, saying it will adversely impact the flourishing industry of BPOs which may choose to go out of India.

The counsel for EPCA informed the court that it is discussing the issue. The apex court then asked the counsel to give the road map on the issue which would be deliberated upon on May 9, the next date of hearing.