Volkswagen to submit undertaking to not sell cars fitted with ‘cheat device : NGT

The National Green Tribunal has directed automobile giant Volkswagen to submit an undertaking that it shall not sell any vehicle fitted with a “cheat device” in India..A Bench headed by UD Salvi J. and Ranjan Chatterjee held that the undertaking has to be filed before January 11..The “cheat device” refers to equipment which allows cars to display significantly lower levels of pollutants in test conditions than in normal use. This allows cars to “cheat” their way past emission norms..The direction came in the background of a plea filed by a school teacher which had alleged blatant violations of emission norms being carried out by vehicles manufactured by Volkswagen in India. Earlier, the Tribunal had issued notice to the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Central Pollution Control Board, Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd, Skoda Auto India Private Limited and Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited..Out of these Respondents, the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises (MoHIPE) has filed its reply, stating that appropriate measures have been initiated to determine whether Volkswagen had violated emission regulations in India..The reply also states that upon the Ministry’s instructions the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) had conducted certain tests on all Volkswagen vehicles to determine whether the engines were fitted with the ‘cheat device.’.Finding the results to be in the affirmative, the Ministry had directed Volkswagen for an immediate recall of the vehicles, which was also duly complied with by the company.