National Green Tribunal bans diesel vehicles over 10 years old in South India state Kerala
India: National Green Tribunal (NGT) Circuit
Bench here on Monday, 23rd May 2016, banned the use of diesel
vehicles older than 10 years, in six major cities, including state capital
Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Kollam, Thrissur, Kannur and commercial capital
Kochi, in Kerala.
The
national green tribunal (NGT) also temporarily banned on registration of new
diesel vehicles over 2,000cc and more, except public transport and local
authority vehicles. “If any vehicle is found to be violating this direction, in
these cities, it shall pay around USD74 as environmental compensations and this
will be collected by traffic police or pollution control board”, said by NGT
the Bench.
Both
Kerala state police and pollution control board shall maintain separate account
in this regard and directed that the funds shall be utilized for betterment of
environment in these cities. Though the order mentions that the ban will be
effective in the six largest cities of the Kerala State, the impact will be
Pan-Kerala. It will also affect trucks transporting goods from other States,
especially Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Haryana.
Private
fleet operators, Associations of truck owners and tourist vehicle owners were
all unhappy with the order and their leaders came out strongly against the
same. Kerala State Transport Commissioner Tomin Thachankary”” said the media
that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) might go in for an
appeal against the national green tribunal (NGT) order in the Kerala High Court
in next couple of days.
According
to a recent report published by Techsci
Research “India Tire Market
Forecast & Opportunities, 2021, with
more than 60 tire manufacturing plants spread across the country in 2015, India
ranks among one of the largest tire markets in the world. Growing automobile
sales coupled with expanding automobile fleet are the major factors boosting
demand for tires in the country. Moreover, with favorable inflationary
scenario, expanding middle class population and increasing national disposable
income, tire sales across all the automobile segments are expected to grow in
the coming years. Presence of major automotive OEMs such as Ford, Hyundai,
Honda, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, TATA, BMW, etc. has been hugely contributing to
the sales of tires in India. MRF, CEAT, Birla Tyres, TVS Srichakra, Apollo
Tyres and JK Tyre are few of the major regional tire manufacturers, while the
major international tire brands operating in the country includes Goodyear,
Bridgestone, Michelin, Continental, Yokohama, and Hankook.
As
per TechSci Research, the decision
is poised to impact the business of Tire manufacturers in India. Banned the use
of diesel vehicles older than 10 years, in six major cities would impact India
replacement tire market and temporarily banned on registration of new diesel
vehicles over 2,000cc and more would further impact India OEM tire market