SC firm on implementation of ban on old commercial vehicles

However, it had said that over eight-year-old buses could ply only after converting to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as fuel.

Meanwhile, the Action Committee of Unaided Private Schools withdrew its application seeking relaxation of the July 28 order after the court pointed out that it did not contain necessary data and was also without an undertaking as to when they would implement the order.

Similar application by Delhi Public School, which had sought time till June 30, was kept for hearing next week.

The bench, while hearing the matter, referred to the strike resorted to by taxis and autorickshaws and observed, "This court will not work under any kind of pressure."

Rawal submitted before the court that over eight-year-old three-wheelers might be allowed to ply in the Capital after they converted their engines to run on CNG.

The bench sent this application to the Bhure Lal Committee, which was set up by the court to suggest ways and means to curb vehicular pollution, to give its comments within two weeks.

Amicus Curiae in the case, Harish Salve, submitted it waswrong on the part of taxi and autorickshaw unions to resort to strike and said the taxi owners have even given a statement that they would continue to run their old taxis till police arrested them.

The Bench said "there is no question of making exceptionsfor anybody" and added "relaxing the order will create a lot of problemts."

Salve said the court should also consider whether thevehicles could be run on fuel other than CNG and referred to the recent decision of the Centre to allow the vehicles to run on LPG.

He also said there has been largescale mixing ofkerosene with diesel resulting in heavy pollution.