SC to hear pleas seeking ban on diesel vehicles today

As the national capital struggles with rising air pollution, the Supreme Court will on Tuesday take up a batch of applications seeking a ban on diesel vehicles or a limitation on their registration in Delhi.

"We will hear it on Tuesday as other matter is already listed for hearing," a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur said when an advocate sought urgent hearing of his plea for banning diesel vehicles in some cities in the country.

The apex court had on December 10 stepped into the raging debate on pollution and had agreed to examine a suggestion to ban entry of all diesel-run trucks, except those carrying essential goods, into the national capital.

It had also asked the Centre to come up with "common minimum acceptable programmes" on the issue after consulting all stakeholders.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in a 1984 PIL filed by environmentalist MC Mehta on the issue, had suggested that trucks, except those carrying essential goods into Delhi, can be banned in pursuance of the 2001 order of the apex court.