WE, THE inhabitants of earth, have reached that stage where we need to redesign and reconsider our

lifestyles for further survival on this planet. If we want the generations to look forward to a healthy and

green earth, then we really have to change ourselves at the earliest. The govt. Of India has step forward with

a new idea of reducing vehicle caused air pollution in major cities like DELHI. Commercial vehicles

entering the state now have to  pay an environmental compensation charge in addition to the toll tax for the

emission of pollutant matter. The second major cause of pollution is the Nitrogen Dioxide (NOx) load, which

again is sourced from emissions of automobiles. The green panel had ordered that the compensation

would be payable at the rates of Rs. 700 for two-axle vehicles, Rs. 1,000 for three-axle and Rs. 500 for four-

axle and above.

"It is a conceded position before us that vehicular pollution is one of the main sources of inferior quality of

air in Delhi.... Nearly 66,000 heavy commercial vehicles enter Delhi daily. It is stated before us that low toll

tax is an incentive for heavy vehicles to pass through Delhi rather than taking alternate route which will

reduce pollution...

Ban on vehicles older than 15 years.

Such vehicles are the ones conforming to older emission standards and are the worst

offenders in terms of exacerbating the region's air pollution situation.  Delhi, meanwhile,

continues to suffer due to increasing number of vehicles - both old and new - and the air gets

dirtier each passing day.   According the Air Pollution and Clean Transportation programme,

Centre for Science and Environment, "In a bid to protect old cars, the science of exposure

risk to deadly vehicular pollution has been played down in the IIT Delhi-Transport Research

and Injury Prevention Programme (IITD-TRIPP) studies cited by the Ministry of Road

Transport and Highways. There is enough evidence to prove significant contribution of

vehicles to multi-pollutant crisis in Delhi and justifies the strong action demanded by NGT."

Delhi, meanwhile, continues to pile on vehicles and layers of toxic pollutants. Already

crowned the world's most polluted city in terms of air quality, it adds 1,400 cars to its roads

every day. In the last decade, the number of vehicles in Delhi has jumped by 97 per cent.

In 2000, diesel cars accounted for only four per cent of all car sales. Now half the cars sold

survive on diesel. Public transport has not been able to keep pace. Despite a Supreme Court

order saying Delhi should have 11,000 public transport buses, roughly 6,251 are in service.