NGT Dismisses Plea Over Star Rating For Vehicles Based on Fuel Efficiency, CO2 Emission

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has dismissed a plea for the implementation of a star rating system for all passenger vehicles, based on fuel efficiency and CO2 emission, holding it non maintainable.

On January 17, the tribunal’s bench comprising judicial member Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil V examined the matter and held the Energy Conservation Act was not one of the statutes mentioned in Schedule I of NGT Act.

It therefore said the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 was not within the tribunal’s ambit.

The NGT was hearing a plea saying the star rating system, an effective mechanism to curb air pollution, was introduced across the developed nations.

Schedule I has seven laws, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, Forest (Conservation) Act, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Environment (Protection) Act, Public Liability Insurance Act and Biological Diversity Act.

The tribunal observed the applicant was unable to dispute the fact.

"Since it is not one of the statutes mentioned, the relief prayed for is not within the domain of the tribunal. Application is accordingly dismissed, as not maintainable," it held.

In September last year, the tribunal sought a response on the issue from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. 

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