New Delhi, July 22 (KNN) The transporters association in the national capital has approached the Delhi Government seeking exemption on excise duty and NOC to run in other states after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered to ban diesel vehicles older than 10 years from plying in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Talking to KNN, the General Secretary of Delhi Transporters Association (DTA) Sundeep Jain said, “The order has been passed by the Court with closed eyes and they did not maintain a long term policy for this.”

He said that the move would throw many transporters, taxi drivers out of business leaving them unemployed.

“The Government has not come up with any rehabilitation policy to give them another job. Such a move can probably increase crime due to unemployment in the region,” he alleged.

Delhi based transporters have urged the government to issue fitness certificates to old diesel vehicles that are to be phased out as per an order by the National Green Tribunal.

DTA Secretary said “We met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Transport Minister Satyendra Jain and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia yesterday and asked them to implement the court’s order phase wise and till then let the vehicles be registered.”

“We also asked the government to give No Objection Certificate (NOC) and fitness certificate to the vehicles to ply in other states,” he added.

The transporter said that there are alternative fuel options as well.

“The government should have started to work on clean diesel or bio diesel. A vehicle does not spread the pollution but the engine and diesel does. Give them clean diesel. There are many catalytic devices available in the market for installing in the vehicles. If an engine is becoming old then install a new engine and the owner would surely be ready to pay the difference amount,” Jain said.

The association has urged the government to compensate the excise duty so that the old trucks can be scrapped and new ones bought after paying difference amount.

Transport Minister Satyendra Jain told reporters on Thursday that the Delhi government will formulate a policy to adhere to NGT’s order seeking de-registration of old diesel vehicles in Delhi. He said the government will take a call on the transporters’ demand after going through a certified copy of the NGT order. (KNN/ AR)