 "A traffic jam in New Delhi")
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a two- day deadline to the Aam Aadmi Party government for filing a detailed plan on phasing out diesel run taxis from the national capital, which faced protests and blockades by diesel cab operators causing hardship to regular commuters for the second consecutive day. A Bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice F M I Kalifulla granted the time after the counsel appearing for Delhi government said that meetings with the representatives of stake holders will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday after which it can submit a plan as directed by the court.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi government asked the Supreme Court for more time for the taxis to switch from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel in view of the difficulties faced by the commuters and taxi owners, but by evening sought two days more to prepare alternative means to solve the crisis in the capital. When government counsel explained the "human problem" created by the refusal of the court to extend the deadline at its special sitting on Saturday, the Bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur told him that every change will create human problems. It asked the government to put forward suggestions to ease the present situation.
Read more from our special coverage on "DIESEL VEHICLES BAN"
Though the lawyer agreed to provide an alternative roadmap to phase out the taxis, he did not appear before the court and another lawyer sought two days' time to take the plea forward. The court allowed the prayer. Saturday was the last day given to the taxis to shift to CNG and at a special sitting on that day, the court refused to extend the deadline further. It had ordered the change in fuel on December 16 last year with a deadline set for March 1. Then it was extended to March 31. At the government's prayer, the date was further pushed to April 30. Since the government has not taken steps to implement the order the court was not willing to extend the deadline further. This had created difficulties for the commuters and there have been rallies by the taxi operators. Aggregators like Ola and Uber also appeared to suffer from the switchover. According to them, it is not technically possible to change diesel vehicles to CNG. There is no infrastructure to do so.
The government now has to consult its officers and experts to find a via media within two days.
The Bench has said that whenever such decisions are taken, inconvenience is bound to be caused to the people and asked the Delhi government to submit a suitable detailed and workable plan.
During the brief hearing, senior advocate Chander Uday Singh, appearing for the Delhi government, had said that in the wake of Supreme Court's order around 30,000 diesel taxis have stopped plying in the national capital which is causing inconvenience to the common people and creating a law and order situation.
He sought some time for phasing out the vehicle in a time -bound manner saying the government is committed to tackle the problem of pollution.
The Bench also asked the Delhi Government to specify as to whether it stop the registration of diesel vehicles saying that it was the order given in December and the deadline was extended everytime.
The counsel said that due to the apex court's order, a human problem has been created and the government needs time to tackle the problem by phasing out the vehicles in phased manner or for making some alternate arrangement.
The Supreme Court had on April 30 refused to extend the deadline fixed for conversion of diesel taxis into less- polluting CNG mode.
The court had on December 16 last year considered the contention of senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, that all diesel taxis be moved to CNG fuel within a reasonable time but not later than March 1, 2016.
"We, therefore, direct that all taxis including those operating under aggregators like OLA and UBER in the NCT of Delhi, plying under city permits shall move to CNG not later than March, 1," it had said and later extended it to April 30.
