The National Green Tribunal today sought response from the central government and the German automobile firm Volkswagen on a plea seeking a ban on manufacture and sale of its vehicles in the country for allegedly flouting emission norms.
The notices have been issued on a plea moved by a Delhi-based school teacher.
Aggrieved by the discovery that her father is a stage-4 cancer patient, she moved the NGT against Volkswagen, which has already recalled many models across world after being exposed in a emission scandal, seeking ban on sale of Volkswagen vehicles in India as she said pollution caused by vehicles is one of the major causes of cancer.
She said the company stands exposed for installing “cheating devices” in their diesel engines that could pass the pollution checks but cause higher emission of nitrogen compounds on road.
Her counsel Sanjeev Ailawadi expressed surprise that the Centre had issued a show-cause notice to the company even as it stands exposed.
She also sought thorough inspection of all Volkswagen vehicles and that their sale be allowed only after they conform to the prescribed Indian emission standards.
The company, the petitioner said, “on the contrary instead of taking any effective measures like recalling cars manufactured by them for the purpose of ensuring their compliance with established norms have drastically stepped up their advertisement and have been luring ever increased number of gullible car buyers into purchasing their faulty and environment damaging passenger vehicles.”
Earlier, the government had issued notice to Volkswagen after ARAI found significant variations in on-road emission levels in the diesel models of Jetta, Octavia, Audi A4 and Audi A6 in India.
Volkswagen has already admitted that 11 million diesel engine cars worldwide were fitted with the software that helped in manipulating emission tests.
Read: >All you need to know about the Volkswagen scandal
