By Times Now Digital
After Delhi鈥檚 fuel ban on overage vehicles came into effect, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday slammed the the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for what he called years of inaction on the issue of end-of-life vehicles clogging the city’s roads. “The current crisis is a direct result of the previous government’s failure to plan and act in time,鈥 Sirsa said. “Unfortunately, the people of Delhi are now bearing the consequences.” Sirsa said the Delhi government will urge the Supreme Court not to penalise residents for what he described as the negligence of the earlier administration. He added that the current government is working urgently and with full commitment to address the problem. “Our objective is clear鈥攖o make Delhi pollution-free within the given timeline and ensure relief for the public,” he said. Delhi鈥檚 fuel ban on overage vehicles came into effect on Tuesday, with authorities impounding 80 vehicles on the first day as part of a major crackdown to reduce air pollution, reports PTI. The action follows a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which bars petrol pumps from selling fuel to end-of-life (EoL) vehicles – diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. According to officials, 98 overage vehicles were identified using surveillance systems, and 80 were impounded – 45 by the Transport Department, 34 by Delhi Police, and one by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The fuel ban does not apply to vehicles running on CNG. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said the goal is to improve Delhi鈥檚 air quality. From November 1, the fuel ban will extend to areas surrounding the capital. Vehicle owners can retrieve their impounded vehicles after paying a fine, securing an NOC from the Transport Department, and registering them in regions where such vehicles are still allowed.