Fuel ban order not feasible now, put on hold: Delhi govt writes to CAQM
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI): The Delhi government has written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), arguing the fuel ban on overage vehicles is not feasible due to technological challenges and has requested the panel to put it on hold with immediate effect.
Addressing a press conference here, Delhi Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said that there was discontent among people due to the move and the government stood with them.
Sirsa also said the Delhi government is trying to find out a solution to the ban on end of life vehicles (EOL) including 10-year and older diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles.
"We are trying to ensure that the vehicles are not banned according to their age rather on the basis of pollution caused by them," Sirsa said.
The minister citing various challenges and problems faced in implementing the ban on refuelling of overage vehicles since July 1, said, "We have told CAQM that we are not able to implement this."
The Delhi government from July 1, banned fuel for end-of-life vehicles -- 10 years or older for diesel vehicles and 15 years or older for petrol vehicles -- that are deregistered and not allowed to ply on the roads, following a court order.
In his letter to the CAQM chairperson, Sirsa also suggested that fuel ban on overage vehicles should be implemented across the National Capital Region (NCR).
The transport department and traffic police since July 1 have been impounding end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) stopping at fuel pumps.
Sirsa, writing to the CAQM on the behalf of the Delhi government, urged the Commission to put on hold enforcement of its April 23 direction.
As far as the implementation of fuel ban, there are several critical operational and infrastructural challenges, and it will not be "feasible to implement this order at this juncture," Sirsa said in his letter.
The move could even be potentially counterproductive, he said.
"Because of the technological inconsistencies of this extremely complex system and lack of integration with neighbouring states, there is public discontent and outcry and in the said circumstances, it is not feasible to implement this system to end of life vehicles identified through ANPR cameras installed at Petrol pumps in Delhi," said the minister.
He said that the automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at most of the fuel stations, but the system is facing problems like technological glitches, camera placement, sensor and speaker malfunction, which prevent identification of the overage vehicles without high security registration plates.
Moreover, the system is also not yet fully integrated with the databases of neighbouring NCR states. These issues require proper trial and error corrections before the same can be implemented in Delhi, Sirsa said.
The minister said the ban in Delhi will not serve its purpose as owners of overage vehicles may get fuel from NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, where there's no such imposition.
The ANPR camera system is also not implemented in the neighbouring states which will again be an issue when the fuel ban is implemented there.
The minister in his letter listed several steps taken by the Delhi government to combat air pollution, including implementation of a new pollution under control (PUC) certificate regime to ensure stricter compliance, particularly for out of state vehicles
The government is also trying to create a system which sends an SMS to the owners of overage vehicles 2-3 months ahead to plan a phase-out.
"We strongly urge the Commission to put the implementation of its direction on hold with immediate effect till the ANPR system is seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR," he said.
Sirsa also blamed the previous AAP government in Delhi for enforcing the overage vehicle ban instead of challenging it before the court and the National Green Tribunal.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
