A week after the Supreme Court clarified that it has not stopped National Green Tribunal from hearing matters pertaining to air pollution in Delhi, vintage cars connoisseurs today moved the green panel seeking its nod to organise a car rally in the city.
The petition comes a week after the apex court asked senior advocate KTS Tulsi to move the NGT with the plea that the vintage car rally be allowed to be held in the national capital as it would generate funds for disabled children.
The plea in NGT has been filed by Madan Mohan, founder trustee of the 21 Gun Salute Heritage and Cultural Trust and organiser of "21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Auto Show" to be held in Delhi on February 6-7 in order to raise funds for spastic children.
"The application is being filed for the clarification or exemption from the order of the NGT dated November 26, 2014 with regard to its applicability to vintage car rally for participation in the the Incredible India Enticing India's Royal Vintage Motoring Culture "21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Concours Show 2016" (6th edition) to be held on February 6 and 7, 2016 in furtherance to the liberty granted by the Supreme Court vide order dated January 21...
"It is pertinent to mention here that in the rallies held in the past, the spastic and blind children have been associated and have also benefitted from the same as they not only took part in the rally but also received part of the proceeds received by the oragnisers of the rally. In the present rally also the spastic children and blind children would be associated," the plea said.
The petition has sought exemption of NGT's November 26, 2014 order which banned from Delhi roads cars which were over 15 years old, thus disqualifying vintage cars from participating in any rally.
However, on a petition by Fifth Edition of 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally, it had relaxed the ban for a day and allowed one-time exception saying, "We make it clear that none of the vintage cars would be otherwise permitted on the roads of NCR, Delhi nor any authority would issue fitness certificates to them without specific order of the Tribunal.
The green panel had also asked Delhi Government to
respond on the issue of capping of vehicles and submit its views on limiting private cars in the national capital.
The Delhi Development Authority was also asked by the NGT to provide space to Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Traffic Police for parking of de-registered diesel vehicles including the impounded ones.
The NGT had asked the Delhi Government to take immediate steps to improve and strengthen public transport system and introduce buses which are CNG, hybrid or electric ones.
The tribunal had on July 18 directed Delhi government to cancel the registration of all diesel-powered vehicles which are more than 10-year-old from plying in the city.
The bench had ordered the RTO of the Transport Department in Delhi, that after de-registration, it will issue public notice in this regard and supply the list of such vehicles to Delhi Traffic Police which will take appropriate steps in consonance with directions of the tribunal.
The tribunal had said that even during odd-even scheme initiated by the Delhi government, the ambient air quality did not improve and in fact, the parameters remained on the higher side more than the permissible limits.
It had passed the order after noting submissions of Delhi Police that it has made continuous attempts to stop vehicles which were more than 10 years old from plying on the roads of the national capital.
The tribunal had on April 7, 2015 held that all diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old will not be permitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.
On November 26, 2014, it had banned plying of all diesel or petrol vehicles which were more than 15 years old.
