"The role of Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change is limited to evolving/framing air quality standards under the mandate of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
"In the present context, it is submitted that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is the authority concerned, as per business allocation rules, administering the Motor Vehicles Act and the rules framed for vehicular emission standards under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988," the ministry said.
The ministry said that the revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) has been notified by it on November 16, 2009 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 based on the studies undertaken by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur.
"The ministry has consulted the state governments of National Capital Region (NCR) viz Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan on April 6 and 13 under the chairmanship of Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and prepared an action plan.