SC seeks response on stickers for vehicles specifying fuel

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Delhi, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan governments on the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority's (EPCA) plea seeking a direction to implement the apex court's order to use colour-coded stickers to identify nature of fuel used by vehicles plying in the National Capital Region (NCR).

On August 13, 2018, the top court had directed that vehicles plying in the NCR should have stickers of different colours, indicating the nature of fuel used by them. Hologram-based light blue colour sticker will indicate vehicles using petrol and CNG, while orange sticker, diesel-run vehicles. It was to be implemented on September 30, 2018.

After observing that the policy was not implemented, the EPCA requested the Division Bench, comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta, to direct the four states to implement the practice by November 1.

Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, amicus curiae on pollution issues, told the Bench colour-coding could help as the pollution level in the national capital might rise during winter. The top court had passed the order because pollution was acute, she added.

The stickers would also help in identifying banned vehicles.

Supporting the EPCA report, the central government said the radio frequency identity (RFID) tag had been made mandatory for commercial vehicles entering Delhi and the cost of RFID tag had been fixed at Rs 225.

However, the Bench said it couldn't issue direction without working out modalities of distributing colour-coded stickers.

The bench has listed the matter for hearing on October 21.

IANS