Auto industry leaders today took up the issue of ban on big diesel cars and SUVs in Delhi-NCR with the PMO while seeking a solution on how to replace old polluting vehicles.
Representatives of Society of Indian Automobile Industry (SIAM) and heads of automobile companies, including Maruti Suzuki India, Ford India and Toyota Kirloskar Motor met PMO officials, including Principal Secretary to PM, Nripendra Misra.
"The primary agenda of the meeting was the ban on diesel cars and SUVs with engine capacity of 2,000cc and above in Delhi-NCR by the Supreme Court and to find a way forward," an industry source said.
When contacted, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava, who was present at the meeting declined to comment. SIAM Secretary General Vishnu Mathur, also present in the meeting, was not available for comments.
Another source said while the diesel ban was the top of the agenda, the meeting also discussed as to how government and the auto industry must work together to address pollution due to ageing vehicles.
"Fleet replacement and scrapping of old vehicles were also discussed," the source added.
In December last year, the Supreme Court had banned sale of diesel cars and sport utility vehicles with engines of 2,000 cc and above in the wake of rising pollution in the city. It is likely to take up the matter next month.
The National Green Tribunal had also imposed a similar ban in Kerala but has been stayed by the state high court.
The developments led to some automakers reworking their plans and introducing models with petrol options or smaller diesel engines.
Earlier this month Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had said the ban on diesel cars and SUVs with engines above 2,000 cc in Delhi-NCR by courts "is not the right way".
Calling it "unfortunate", he said the government is already taking measures to curb pollution, and the ban has resulted in vehicles with latest technologies not being allowed while old polluting vehicles continue plying on the roads.
Earlier, Bhargava had termed the ban as "totally arbitrary". Stating that cars are universally targeted for causing pollution as they represent "the well-off section of society", he had reasoned that cars contributed to only around 2 per cent of pollution in the capital.
Toyota, which is one of the companies hit hard by the ban, had termed restrictions as the "worst advertisement of India". Mercedes Benz India had stated that it has put on hold its investments in India in the wake of the diesel ban.
