Scrappage Policy Likely to be Brought to Cabinet in 2-3 Weeks

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways told the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday that draft guidelines for setting up and operating vehicle scrapping centres has been prepared and uploaded on its website seeking public comments.

The Ministry told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel that it has also circulated a policy paper on creation of an eco system for scrapping of old vehicles for the transition to environment-friendly new vehicles. The tribunal was also informed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee that a special task force, constituted by the NGT, is keeping an active and regular watch in Mayapuri area to take action against those who are dismantling vehicles on roads and confiscate tools and vehicles on a weekly basis.

As per the draft authorised vehicle scrapping facility (AVSF) guidelines, individuals, firms, societies or trusts will be allowed to set up scrappage facilities subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and receiving authorisation from the licensing authority. The authorisation will be valid for 10 years and can be renewed for another 10 years. Prospective scrappers must have usable treatment facilities with a minimum area of 4,000 sq metre for small vehicles and 8,000 sq metres for all bigger vehicles, as per the guidelines.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on the same, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the new policy will spur manufacturing of automobiles and make India an automotive hub. He was also quoted saying that the industry will create employment opportunities and reduce the cost of vehicles.

Vehicles which have not renewed original registration, not been granted fitness certificate and those auctioned, impounded and abandoned by any enforcement agency, among others will be allowed to be offered for scrapping, it said. "DPCC has constituted 16 teams to carry out night patrolling of industrial areas of Delhi to identify dumping and burning of any type of waste apart from identifying the industries emitting black smoke emissions," DPCC said.

The tribunal was informed that DPCC has already sanctioned Rs 61.5 lakhs to the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) Ltd. for installation of CCTV cameras at vulnerable points outside the Mayapuri Induatrial Area where illegal dismantling of vehicles was taking place. "On the directions of the chief secretary, DSIIDC has floated tenders for upgradation of 20 kms of roads and 12 kms of drains in both phases of Mayapuri industrial area with an estimated cost of Rs 66.59 crore. Additional Commissioner of police has informed that motorcycles have been engaged specifically to take rounds and to keep check all over the area so that no illegal vehicle dismantling activity takes place," DPCC said.

Noting that the number of 'end of life vehicles' will be over 21 million by 2025, the NGT had earlier directed the government to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for setting up authorised recycling centres to scrap them scientifically. The NGT had said that the scrapping of vehicles in a scientific manner needs to be taken up on an organized basis as the current capacity is hardly adequate.

Approximately 9 million vehicles, of which 75 per cent are two-wheelers, will be due for scrapping by next year, the tribunal had said. By the end of 2025, the number of vehicles which are 15 years or older is likely to reach over 21 million and there is "urgent need to evolve an appropriate mechanism to set up authorized recycling centres compliant with environmental norms and prohibit unorganized, unscientific and unauthorized scrapping activity", it had said.

The NGT had earlier directed the AAP government to furnish a performance guarantee of Rs 5 crore within a month for failing to act against illegal scrap units in Mayapuri here. It had also directed an oversight committee headed by former high court judge Justice Pratibha Rani to monitor the working of a seven-member Special Task Force which was formed to take action against the units involved in dismantling of heavy vehicles. The NGT had taken note of an English newspaper report about the hazardous scrap business in Mayapuri.

(With Inputs from PTI)