National Green Tribunal Urges Govt To Stop Delaying Vehicle Scrappage Policy

The green panel has given the ministry a two month extension to issue a notification on guidelines for scrappage centres

It was nearly a year ago that the government announced plans for a scrappage policy for vehicles that were 15 years or older. Since then there have been some updates but the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has not announced any finalised guidelines for scrapping vehicles. Now, the National Green Tribunal is questioning the ministry over the long delay.

The tribunal took note of the draft guidelines regarding the setup, authorisation and operation of vehicle scrappage centres that has been available online and suitably revised based on inputs. But MoRTH still needs to issue a formal notification under the Motor Vehicle Act post Cabinet approval. The green panel stated that it found the ministry’s response to its queries to be unsatisfactory and lacking in sensitivity.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel reiterated the urgent need for a proper mechanism to set up authorised recycling centres that comply with environmental norms and carry out the tasks in environmentally responsible methods. The NGT had already given its estimate of over 21 million ‘end of life’ vehicles by 2025 to the government to highlight the magnitude of the problem.

"There is no tangible explanation for the long delay in issuing the necessary notification. Making allowance for the pandemic, we grant further time of two months for issuing requisite notification," the bench said.

While the government is dragging its feet to announce the vehicle scrappage policy and its guidelines, some carmakers are working to stay on top of the situation. Toyota and Maruti already announced their plans for a scrappage plant by 2021 as part of their joint venture.