KOCHI: The 24 hours following the National Green Tribunal (NGT) verdict banning over 10-year-old diesel vehicles from the roads of Kerala’s major cities have been hectic for the members of Lawyers Environment Awareness Forum (LEAF), the organization which filed the petition culminating in the order. Though words of appreciation found their way to them, so did voices of concern and anger as the order would inconvenience many luxury car owners and throw scores of business that rely heavily on transport, out of gear. “We did not file the petition to harm anyone. Pollution around us has grown immensely that all of us are slowly dying from it. The increase in cases of lung diseases is due to the spike in air pollution. Should a person lose his life from these hazards before we woke up to the dangers around us?,” asks Adv Peter T Thomas, the president of LEAF. Thomas wonders why people think they are being banned from using their vehicles. “The ban is only for diesel engines which are more than a decade old. One can convert the diesel engine to a compressed natural gas (CNG) engine and continue using the vehicle,” he says. Even while agreeing that the order has been ‘harsh’, Thomas believes only strong orders can usher in change. “Though politicians and officials know the extent of the dangers, they are governed by various interests and can’t act. So such an order always helps,” he adds. Adv Jacob Abraham, joint secretary of LEAF, is assured that the order would bring the issue of pollution and alternative fuel options to the centrestage. “It is high time we explored alternative fuels to run our vehicles. Delhi has well functioning CNG-based transport. Recently, Bangalore has been experimenting with solar-powered automobile,” he says.EAF was set up by a group of advocates of the Kerala HC in 1995.