A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued notice to the Union ministries of Environment and Forest, Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Finance, besides the CPCB on a plea by a social activist from Chennai, A Narayanan, who also sought phasing out of old diesel vehicles if they do not meet new emission norms.
"Take adequate steps immediately to prescribe stringent emission standards on all appropriate parameters such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, lead etc for diesel vehicles uniformly throughout the country so as to control and reduce air pollution and protect the health and well-being of citizens," said the plea, filed through counsel Santosh Paul.
The petitioner also sought the government to stop providing subsidised diesel saying "the subsidy policy of the government is one way promoting the sale of diesel vehicles and aggravating pollution of Indian cities and causing irremediable harm to the society."
"Discontinue extending subsidised diesel from the government exchequer to undeserving sections of the society, particularly to the owners of luxury cars, telecommunication towers of the private sector, malls....," said the petition. (More)
