NGT asks oil companies to stop plying BS-I, BS-II vehicles in NCR

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal today directed public sector oil companies to stop plying Bharat Stage-I and Bharat Stage-II vehicles for transporting petrol or petroleum products in the national capital.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar ordered Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum to immediately ban such vehicles.

The green panel also directed the joint commissioner of police to ensure the compliance of the order.

The green panel had in December last year issued notices to the oil companies and asked them to inform whether they use any diesel vehicle more than a decade old for transporting petrol or diesel to fuel stations.

The direction came while hearing a batch of petitions filed by various contractors seeking registration of new BS-IV compliant diesel vehicles purchased for transport of petrol from company depots to identified petrol pumps in Delhi-NCR.

In a blow to automobile firms, the Supreme Court had yesterday banned sale and registration of vehicles, which are not BS-IV compliant, in India from April 1 when the new emission norms come into force.