Automakers to file review petition in SC against ban on BS III vehicles
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) is considering filing a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging the apex court’s order of March 29 banning sales and registration of BS III vehicles after 31 March, said four people aware of the matter who asked not to be identified.
The petition is likely to be filed sometime this week, said one of the people cited above.
“Most likely, it’s going to be a prayer seeking permission for a window to allow sale of BS III vehicles,” the person added.
Vishnu Mathur, director general, Siam declined comment.
BS III stands for Bharat Stage III emission norms.
In submissions to the Supreme Court ahead of the March 29 ruling, automakers said there were 800,000 unsold two-wheelers, commercial vehicles (both small and large), passenger vehicles and three-wheelers compliant with BS III norms. Of these, around 100,000 were commercial vehicles. The majority of these vehicles, around 670,000, were scooters and motorcycles. Companies offered steep discounts on BS III scooters and motorcycles in the run-up to the March 31 deadline.
Even as automakers abided by the order and stopped sale of BS III vehicles, they have been ruing the inconsistent regulations.
“As per the government notification, sales of BS III vehicles were allowed after 1 April. Now suddenly those BS III vehicles are banned. I find it quite frustrating that something like this happens,” Vinod Dasari, president of the auto industry body told Press Trust of India after the March 29 order.
Ravindra Pisharody, executive director, commercial vehicles at Tata Motors Ltd said the company has an unsold stock of 15,000 units (including small commercial vehicles like Ace) He declined to comment on whether Siam is looking to file a review petition.
Ashok Leyland Ltd, the second largest truck and bus maker in the country, has an unsold stock of 10,664 vehicles, said Gopal Mahadevan, chief financial officer at the firm.
Availability of fuel of the requisite quality was what prevented manufacturers from producing BS IV vehicles, said Mahadevan. “Our intention was not to postpone the implementation of stricter regulations,” he added.
Vinod Aggarwal, managing director and chief executive officer at Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles said the company has a stock of 1,500 vehicles. He said he is not aware of Siam’s plans of filing a review petition.
In January 2015, the government issued a notification that said all vehicles—passenger and commercial—must be BS IV compliant by April 2016. Concerns over vehicular pollution prompted the government last year to proclaim that India would move up to the toughest automobile emission standards of BS VI by 2020, skipping an intermediate level.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy and head of the air pollution and clean transportation programme at the Centre for Science and Environment said that with a nationwide roll out of BS IV happening seven years after it was first mandated in the top 26 cities, India is already lagging behind in emission standards.
“Moreover, the automakers had the technical know-how. All they needed to do was proactively ramp down the BS III models, which some of the manufacturers did,” she said.