Why Delhi’s ban on non-BS-VI vehicles is riddled with inconsistencies

Like every winter, Delhi’s air quality has worsened this year, too. While it has become a ritual for the government to ban diesel-powered vehicles that don’t meet the Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission norms, this time the authorities have gone a step further by banning the entry of non-BS-VI petrol vehicles as well.

“Any vehicle coming to Delhi from outside should not be less than BS-VI. If any vehicle is less than BS-VI, it will be seized. We will take more stringent measures in the coming days if needed,” Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa said on December 18.

The BS-VI emission norms were implemented in India from April 1, 2020. So, any vehicle manufactured prior to this date will not be allowed to enter the national capital. The ban is applicable only on vehicles registered outside Delhi, and not those registered in the city.

Under these measures, a 14-year-old petrol car bearing a Delhi (DL) registration number would be allowed to traverse Delhi whereas a six-year-old petrol car bearing a Haryana or Uttar Pradesh registration would be seized.

What policymakers have failed to take note of is that Delhi is part of wider agglomeration of several adjoining cities in the National Capital Region — Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, to name a few.

About 65% of Delhi’s PM 2.5 pollution comes from nearby cities, higher than the contribution of Delhi’s own transport sector, which is pegged at 16.32%, Hindustan Times reported, citing data from the Centre’s Decision Support System (DSS).

Adding to its pollution woes, Delhi is surrounded by coal-fired power plants in neighbouring towns. Coal-based power plants contribute 55% to India's energy mix and account for 74% of total power generation. To make matters worse, the Union environment ministry in July exempted a majority of India’s coal-based thermal power plants from installing flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, which are designed to cut sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions.

Delhi is also surrounded by industrial towns such as Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida. Ghaziabad topped the list as the most polluted city in the country, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

No PUC, No Fuel

Apart from the measure mentioned above, vehicles that do not have a PUCC (pollution under control certificate) will not get fuel at petrol pumps in Delhi, Sirsa said on Wednesday. To ensure that the rule works effectively, there needs to be stricter scrutiny of these centres.

Nonetheless, diesel vehicles older than ten years and petrol vehicles older than fifteen years continue to remain permanently banned from operating within Delhi even if they have a valid PUCC.