SPG moves NGT for permission to get registered diesel vehicles

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) The Special Protection Group (SPG)today approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seekingdirection to the Delhi Government’s Transport Department toallow registration of its diesel vehicles. SPG, in its application, said they were in process ofdiscarding their 28 diesel vehicles and huge deficiency hasbeen created in its motor transport fleet and its operationalefficiency in providing protection to its VIP protectees,including the Prime Minister. A bench, headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar, askedthe counsel appearing for SPG to provide more details of thevehicles which it required and said it would consider the pleaon September 15. The plea, filed through advocate Balendu Shekhar, saidfor deploying manpower and equipment, which are vitalcomponents in the security arrangement, suitable vehicles ofdifferent categories were required. SPG approached the green panel seeking registration ofits new vehicles, as the tribunal had last year banned theregistration of new diesel vehicles as well as their re-registration after 10 years. "Considering the urgency and operational requirement,transport Department, Govt of NCT Delhi may be directed toallow registration of their vehicles forthwith. Failing whichhuge inconvenience would be caused to SPG in performing theirstatutory obligations as enshrined in Special Protection GroupAct, 1988…" "More so, Supreme Court vide order of September 28, 2001has considered the vehicle fleet of SPG as separate category,"it said, adding that SPG has been authorised to keep 506vehicles of various categories in their fleet. It further said SPG has exclusive mandate under the lawto provide security cover to most important personalities,including Prime Minister, and their family members who arevulnerable for high security threat and it has to take alladequate measures with logistics to fulfil its responsibility. The plea said SPG has recently procured six BS-IVcomplied diesel buses and when it approached Delhigovernment’s Transport Department for their registration, thedeputy commissioner (operations) intimated it thatregistration of any new diesel vehicle was not allowed by thetribunal’s December 11, 2015 order. In a jolt to diesel car owners in the national capital,the Tribunal had directed the Delhi government to cancel theregistration of all diesel-powered vehicles which were morethan 10 years old from plying in the city. Later, the tribunal had clarified that suchderegistration of 15 to 10 years old diesel vehicles in thenational capita would be carried out in a phased manner. PTISKVARC