The National Green Tribunal Circuit Bench on Monday banned diesel vehicles that are more than a decade old in the six major Kerala cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur. The ban will come into force within 30 days, the green tribunal said. The bench also ordered the state to not register any diesel vehicles with an engine capacity of more than 2,000 cc, similar to an order passed in Delhi.

Any person found violating the order will be fined Rs 5,000. Public transport and vehicles of local authorities will be exempt from the ban. The tribunal issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Lawyers’ Environmental Awareness Forum.