NGT asks Centre to clarify status of plea on BS-IV norms in SC

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre to clarify whether parallel proceedings were going on in the Supreme Court on a plea related to the scheduled introduction of BS-IV norms from April 1.

A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim directed the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, Environment Ministry and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to state whether the hearing on a plea opposing auto industry body SIAM's call to defer the new emission norms would be multiplicity of the proceedings or not.

"The (petitioner's) counsel brought to our notice that the issue raised adjudication in this case is also raised before the Supreme Court of India in another proceedings and the hearing of that case is scheduled... In these circumstances, we direct the applicant and all concerned to make a statement as to whether this proceeding will be multiplicity of the proceedings or not," the bench said.

The matter is listed for next hearing on April 12.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by R K Sharma who said he was aggrieved by the conduct of SIAM for its call to defer the new emission norms and seeking extension of time limit for selling underlying stock of BS-III compliant vehicles.

The plea sought directions that all types of vehicles, even those manufactured this year, should not be permitted to be sold and registered after April 1, 2017 unless they comply with the BS-IV standards.

"Some vehicle manufacturers are lobbying for a relaxation in the deadline for BS-IV norms for flooding the market with their old BS-III vehicles on the ground of alleged unsold inventory. Thus, the vehicle manufacturers seek to sell and register non-BS-IV vehicles even after April 1, 2017," the plea said.

Last October, the Environment Pollution Control Authority had said it would not allow the sale or registration of any pre-BS-IV vehicles from April 1.

The government had in August 2015 said the sale of four- wheelers not meeting Bharat Stage (BS)-IV emission norms will be barred in India from April 2017 with a view to bring the entire country under the ambit of tighter pollution control standards.

"From April 1, 2017, the mass emission standards for Bharat Stage IV shall come into force all over the country. With this, only those newly manufactured four-wheeler vehicles, which are compliant with the BS-IV standards, will be allowed to register and move on roads with effect from the notified dates in the notified areas," the Road Transport Ministry had said.