SC threatens to stop trucks from entering Delhi

NEW DELHI: Irked by non-implementation of its order banning commercial vehicles transiting through the Capital, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Delhi police commissioner and the state government asking why entry of all commercial vehicles not conforming to Bharat Stage-II pollution norms should not be banned.
"Police commissioner and the Government of National Capital Territory to show cause why plying of all heavy vehicles which do not conform to Bharat Stage-II pollution norms be not stopped from entering the Capital, especially when the earlier orders were not complied with," a Bench comprising Chief Justice B N Kirpal, Justice V N Khare and Justice Ashok Bhan said during the hearing of the CNG case.
The court was referring to non-implementation of its order passed on December 6 last year asking the police commissioner to stop entry of nearly 40,000 goods trucks which use the Delhi roads every night as transit route causing huge pollution.
When the Delhi Government replied that not a single truck had been stopped from entering the Delhi, the Bench said "you will invite harsher orders." The court gave two weeks time to the police commissioner and the Delhi government to show cause and posted the matter for further hearing on July 29.
On the proposed corridors joining the National Highways, the Bench made it clear that "there can be no corridor joining NHs in Delhi to allow the trucks to pass through. If any corridor has to be constructed, it has to be outside Delhi."