Correct Option
The correct option isReducing air pollution from diesel vehicles.
Explanation
The Supreme Court of India has interpreted the Right to Life (Article 21) to include the right to a clean and healthy environment. In response to rising pollution levels in Delhi, the Court exercised its jurisdiction through Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to mandate policy changes for environmental protection.
Detailed Analysis
The directive to switch to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) originated from the landmark case M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India (1998). The Court’s intervention was driven by the following factors:
- Combating Air Pollution: The primary objective was to reduce the high levels of vehicular pollution in Delhi, which had become hazardous to public health. Diesel vehicles were identified as significant sources of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) and nitrogen oxides.
- Cleaner Fuel Alternative: CNG was mandated for public transport vehicles (buses, auto-rickshaws, and taxis) because it burns cleaner than diesel or petrol, emitting significantly fewer toxic pollutants.
- Rejection of Other Options:
- Reducing noise pollution. Noise Pollution: While CNG engines may be quieter, noise reduction was an incidental benefit, not the primary legal objective.
- Promoting the automobile industry. Promoting Industry: The order was regulatory and environmental in nature, not an industrial policy to boost automobile manufacturing.
- Reducing the cost of public transport. Reducing Cost: The transition to CNG initially involved significant conversion costs for vehicle owners; cost reduction for the public was not the aim.
Key Takeaway: The Supreme Court's order mandating CNG in Delhi was a judicial enforcement of the Fundamental Right to a clean environment under Article 21, specifically targeting the reduction of air pollution caused by diesel vehicles.