Banning registration of diesel LGVs unfair

New Delhi, June 25: The Delhi Government notification banning registration of new diesel-run Light Goods Vehicles and allowing only CNG-run LGVs in the city from July one has come under criticism on the grounds that it is unfair and counterproductive.

''On the one hand, the move will not bring about the desired affect of reducing air pollution in the capital and on the other it is against the principles of natural justice,'' Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training Coordinator S P Singh said.

The notification banning registration of diesel-run LGVs for intra-state permits came as ''bolt from the blue'' and was done in a surreptitious manner, he said.

Though the Transport Department took into consideration the views of automobile manufacturers' body and also ascertained the views of the public, it did not bother about getting a response from all stakeholders concerned, he said.

The state government had not gone through the process of fair play and equity in making the policy decision by not undertaking an exercise to extensively involve all stakeholders prior to placing draft notification on the website of the department, he added.

The decision was also against the spirit of Section 67 of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, which enshrined that the government could control road transport without creating non-competitive conditions for vehicle operators, Mr Singh said.

Section 67(d) called for desirability of preventing ''uneconomic competition'' among holders of permits, he added.

The move was also counterproductive as the registration of new diesel-run LGVs had been banned, hence only CNG-run LGVs would be registered and issued a permit for operating within the national capital, he said.

However, the State Transport Authority would continue to register diesel-run LGVs for issuance of National Permit, which would also permit these new LGVs to operate within Delhi, he added.

Apart from this, the notification stated that goods carriages having gross vehicle weight up to 3,000 kg, registered outside Delhi, would not be permitted to ply in the capital.

It also stated that goods carriages having gross vehicle weight between 3,000 kg and 7,500 kg, registered outside Delhi and running on fuel other than clean fuel, would not be permitted to ply in the capital except under a valid national permit, but in any case would not be permitted to pick up or set down goods between two points within the city.

The main objective of phasing out diesel-run LGVs and introduction of CNG-run LGVs was to eliminate air pollution in the capital. However, ramifications of the notification would prove to be contrary to its main objective of reducing air pollution arising out of diesel run LGVs, Mr Singh asserted.

Even under the new order, the diesel-run LGVs would continue to be registered under the National Permit scheme and have permission to operate on intra-state local operations, he argued while claiming that along with this, thousands of already Delhi registered diesel LGVs (less than 15 years old) would continue to operate on the city's local routes, irrespective of whether they had intra-state, counter-signed or National Permit.

He advocated that curbing overloaded trucks in the city was a better way of achieving cleaner air quality as well as bringing more safety on the roads.

LGVs in Delhi's industrial and trading centres commonly operate 50 to 100 per cent overloaded (in excess of permitted weight carrying limit). Since, a CNG run goods carriage had 2.5 tonne pay load compared to 3.6 tonne in diesel-run LGV, it was obvious 'economic compulsion' to carry more load on CNG light trucks in comparison to diesel run light trucks. Consequently, they caused more air pollution despite running on so called clean fuel.

Overloaded CNG goods carriages with high cost/low pay load would in the ultimate analysis cause more pollution than even those running on so called lesser clean fuel (diesel), Mr Singh said.

Also not only was maintenance and upkeep of CNG lorries much more costly than diesel ones but as their mileage was also poorer compared to diesel trucks, there was a greater 'compulsion' to overload, he added.

''CNG three-wheeler load carriers, which mostly operated intra-state city, normally overload upto 100 per cent, are living examples of the cause of traffic congestion and consequent air pollution.'' The Delhi government's track record to check air pollution from goods commercial vehicles has been extremely dismal and in fact unduly favoured goods carriage owners/loading agents/transporters in perpetuating the movement of overloaded goods carriages (causing air pollution) passing through/coming into Delhi, he said.

This only indicated that the notification was due to ulterior motives rather than reducing air pollution, he alleged.

UNI