Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar strongly criticised the Supreme Court's decision to ban diesel SUVs saying it is a "senseless direction which do not have a scientific basis".
He said the move lacked logic and may even impact investments into India.
"We do not understand the logic of banning diesel vehicles. Ban a diesel vehicle which is polluting, we understand it. But what is the point in banning a diesel vehicle which may not pollute and may even be less polluting than a petrol vehicle. It implies senseless directions which do not have a scientific base. People who do not understand science have begun to interpret science. This is our misfortune," Parrikar said. while speaking at a public function in Panaji.
"I was reading a report about Mercedes Benz company. They have stopped investment in India because they say the decisions of the court are beyond the limit of understanding. (They say) we don't understand the logic of banning diesel vehicles," Parrikar said.
He said he was astonished at some of the decisions of the judiciary and cited a personal experience when there was an order that he should be booked as Home Minister in Goa.
"When there was the old Aguada jail, there was an inmate who died due to food poisoning. A famous lawyer known for filing cases went to a judge, threatened him and through him got an order that the Home Minister (Parrikar) be booked under Section 304 of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder)."
The minister was addressing a gathering in Panaji after inaugurating a Solid Waste Management Facility in Saligao-Calangute plateau.
He said garbage and sewerage treatment is a "major scam" area as even those built as part of the central schemes are left unaudited.
"The garbage and sewerage treatment is a major scam area. Ninety per cent of the toilets built under Central government schemes goes into disuse after three to four years," Parrikar said.
"Some people use these toilets to pile woodstock. Some people don't even use it for the purpose it is built. But no one can audit it. How can one audit whether toilet is functional or not without using it?" he asked.
The Minister said garbage treatment has become a big business across the country.
"There are vested interests in this sector...Comptroller and Auditor General audits everything but I have not seen the audit of the garbage treatment. Who will dare go in the dump of garbage?" he said.
The solid waste management facility inaugurated on Sunday has the capacity to treat 100 tonnes of garbage per day, which will be collected from North Goa's coastal belt.
(With additional information from PTI)
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