Battling for Clean

Environment
Delhi CNG Case
Group A13
Environmental Politics
Using political debate and instrument to push
for sustainable development
Slow Process, Ineffective on ground
Policies present; No implementation
Move towards a technocratic experts to
provide expertise in decision making
Questionable research quality
Too much debate and argument from opposing
sides
Public and representatives had little say
The Supreme Court
Environmental activists moved towards
another power structure
Supreme Court appeared as a protector of
rights but there were inhibitors
Change in concept of locus standi
Became active in policy making and
implementation of those policies and acts
Air and Water Pollution
Attempts to improve environment and air
quality of Delhi
Establishment of Bhure Lal Committee
Phasing out 8+ year old vehicles
Adoption of single fuel CNG
Met with strict resistance
DTC was already overburdened by loans and
losses
Private players didnt want to make investments
Continuous delays and stretching timelines
Governments Response
Instituted the Mashelkar Committee
Made a case for multi-fuel tech
Pushed for low-sulphur apart from CNG
Bhure Lal Committee examined the question
IIT-D Prof Dinesh Mohan and TERI made cases
for low sulphur diesel
Questions about scale and cost of shift
Questions about availability of CNG
Limited distribution of CNG
Supreme Courts Judgement
Ordered to shift to single fuel CNG
Chided government for not implementing
policies and laws
Questioned rationale of providing CNG to
industries while claiming shortage
Highlighted the health costs due to pollution
10,000 million INR (1000 crores) for Delhi
Popular opinion was unexpected
Popular Response and Events
1/2
Focused only on the convenience and not on the
effects on health
Govt. of Delhi attempted to extend the deadline
Gained political mileage
Appeared to fight for people
Furthered transporters agenda
Led agitations against the central government
Govt. of India resisted the order itself
Shortage of CNG
Led agitations against the state government
Popular Response and Events
2/2
Media focused on plight of citizens, bus drivers
Technocrats went against the stance of SC
Debate shifted to inconvenience from health
Political parties aimed for small term gains
Role of Research Institutes
Biased opinions of technocrats
Sponsored by industry about which they have
to produce research
Mostly government employees. Wont go
against them
CSEs role in the incident
Raised difficult questions no money to be
made from CNG enabled vehicles
Released info about affiliations of technocrats
Presented fine prints about the arguments
made by others
Thank you!
The End