The Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Centre on a PIL seeking abolition of diesel subsidy and creation of an environmental police department to crack down on polluting vehicles as part of measures to improve the air quality in cities across the country.
Besides, the PIL had sought enforcement of emission standards in tune with Euro V for diesel and petrol vehicles in the country.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir issued notice to the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, finance and environment and forests, besides the Central Pollution Control Board.
Quoting official statistics, the PIL ? filed by economist Arvind Gupta ? said that motor vehicle sales in the country had nearly tripled in the last decade and in recent years hit a growth rate of 25%. Further, diesel subsidy to owners of luxury cars and profit-making industries would result in concentration of wealth in a small section of people, which was against the interest of the economy, the petitioner said, adding that farmers and poor people should be given direct cash subsidies to protect them from the abolition of diesel subsidy.
Seeking a direction to the government to introduce updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards in tune with Europe and the US, and in consonance with Euro V, Gupta said the main reason for this alarming rise in the pollution levels was the extensive use of diesel-fired car engines that had proliferated extensively due to the unscrupulous policies being pursued by the government.
Indian cities have now become among the world?s most polluted areas. ?Data from WHO shows that Indian cities are almost 10 times more polluted than the other cities of the world. WHO estimates that more than 2 million people die every year from breathing in tiny particles due to air pollution,? he said.
