The National Green Tribunal has directed German auto major Volkswagen, which is embroiled in a global emission scandal, to file an affidavit on the status of proceedings against it in other countries. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises to file its response on the report submitted by the automobile company on recall of vehicles in the country. The green panel also directed that all parties be given a copy of Pune-based Automotive Research Association of India's (ARAI) 2015 report on emission tests conducted on diesel cars. The matter is now listed for next hearing on August 6.
The tribunal had earlier asked ARAI to explain the details of tests carried out on diesel cars produced by Volkswagen. The order had come after the tribunal was informed that ARAI carried out tests at the instance of Ministry of Heavy Industries and examined 11 BS-IV compliant diesel vehicles of the German company under different conditions. The automobile giant had earlier submitted a roadmap before the tribunal to recall over 3.23 lakh vehicles in the country fitted with a 'defeat device' meant to fudge emission tests.
A 'cheat' or 'defeat device' is a software in Volkswagen’s diesel engines to manipulate emission tests by changing the performance of the cars. Volkswagen India had in December 2015 announced the recall of 3,23,700 lakh vehicles in India to fix the emission software after ARAI conducted tests on some models and found that their on-road emissions were 1.1 times to 2.6 times higher than the applicable BS-IV norms. The automobile giant had admitted to the use of 'defeat device' in 11 million diesel engine cars sold in the US, Europe and other global markets that allowed manipulation of emissions tests by changing the performance of vehicles to improve results. After the tests by ARAI, Volkswagen India had undertaken to rejig the software by recalling around 3.23 lakh vehicles fitted with EA 189 diesel engines which were in alleged violation of emission norms.
The company, however, had said that the recall in India was purely voluntary in nature as it did not face any charges regarding violating emission norms in India unlike in the US.
The counsel for the car manufacturer had told the NGT that ARAI, which is being consulted on the redesign of the software, had approved it for only 70 percent of the 3.23 lakh vehicles. ARAI, however, had said the Volkswagen had submitted redesigned software for only 70 percent and was yet to do so for the remaining 30 percent. The tribunal was hearing pleas seeking a ban on the sale of Volkswagen vehicles for alleged violation of emission norms.
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