The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Tuesday, banned all diesel vehicles over ten years old from plying on Delhi roads.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar passed the order and it noted that countries like Denmark, Brazil, China and Sri Lanka are in the process of banning diesel vehicles.
"We may mention that a number of countries in the world are in the process or have prohibited diesel vehicles or are in the process of doing away with them by imposing very heavy taxes. We have already noticed that certain stringent measures need to be taken to ensure that residents of the area do not travel closer to ill-health with each breath they take," said the bench.
"We direct all diesel vehicles, heavy or light, which are ten years old will not be permitted on the roads of Delhi and NCR," it directed.
The tribunal had, late last year, >banned petrol vehicles over 15 years old.
Meanwhile, the bench also passed strict orders against any illegal construction activity that emanated dust in the air. The tribunal also gave 20 hours to the government and the agencies concerned to ensure that all entry points of Delhi have units to check pollution levels, weight and age of any vehicle entering Delhi.
The court also banned all hawkers and squatters from metalled roads in Lajpat Nagar and Chandni Chowk.
