Govt: Diesel vehicles are not major polluters

New Delhi, Feb. 22: Diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old are not major contributors to air pollution, the Centre on Wednesday told the National Green Tribunal while seeking stay of its ban order in Delhi-NCR.

Additional solicitor general Pinky Anand, appearing for the ministry of road transport and highways, told the green panel that there was no proof that diesel vehicles which were over 10 years old were the sole cause of air pollution and that all types of fuel cause some amount of pollution.

“According to IIT and CPCB study, diesel vehicles are not a major source of air pollution. There is no evidence to show that 15year-old petrol and 10-yearold diesel vehicles cause major pollution and in fact their contribution is minuscule. All forms of fuel, including CNG and petrol, cause pollution,” the law officer told a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.

She said that while petrol emits carbon dioxide, CNG too causes pollution as it is high on nitrogen oxides.

Ms Anand said that the ministry has initiated several schemes to create awareness about air pollution.