Complete ban on use of non-CNG private, commercial vehicles if air quality deteriorates: EPCA

The Supreme Court-appointed EPCA on Monday warned that if the air quality in Delhi continues to deteriorate then it would impose a complete ban on the use of non-CNG private as well as commercial vehicles.

Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) Chairman Bhure Lal, in a letter to chief secretary of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh said the vehicle sticker has not been implemented and without this it is not possible to distinguish between diesel and other fuelled vehicles. 

"In the scenario that the weather remains adverse and that the current situation of air quality remains in 'very poor' or 'severe category' then there is no option but to direct for a complete stop on the use of private and commercial vehicles other than those plying on CNG so that pollution can be contained," Lal said in the letter.

"However, CNG vehicles have stickers and also it is understood that all public transport vehicles are fuelled by CNG. In this situation, these vehicles will be available for movement," he said.

This is the second time Lal has raised the issue of pollution by vehicles. On October 31, he had proposed banning all private vehicles but this time he went ahead and proposed ban on all non-CNG private and commercial vehicles.

The comments came amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital which is battling alarming levels of pollution due to local emissions land regional factors. Presently, Delhi's air quality is oscillating between very poor and severe category.