Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday temporarily allowed the owners of diesel vehicles to ply their canters for safari in the Ranthambore National Park, provided the vehicle is not more than five years old and the Euro emission norms are complied with. The interim order was issued by Justice Prem Shanker Asopa on two separate writ petitions filed by Shafi Mohammed and Sheela Kedawat. It was claimed by them in their respective petitions that they are owners of diesel vehicles which are of latest make and the vehicles comply with the Euro norms prescribed under the law. However, the state authorities are not allowing them to ply their canters saying that there is a general ban on the plying of diesel canters for safari owing to a stay of high court. The petitioners also alleged that even old pertol-run canters, the emissions of which are more hazardous, are being allowed to carry out safaries. During the hearing, it was brought to the notice of the court by forest authorities that a single judge bench of the high court recently banned as many as 48 diesel canters from plying for safari after taking into consideration the environmental hazards while hearing a petition filed by one Nafisa Begum and others. Nafisa had claimed in her writ that they are possessing Euro-IV standard vehicles which can be used for safari but the same are not being permitted to ply commuters inside the national park. However, Justice M N Bhandari refused to give any relief to the petitioner saying that a ban order imposed by a division bench was already in place. Earlier, on November 25, 2010, a division bench had banned the entry of any dieselrun vehicle in the national park. Earlier, a high-powered committee of the state government had on June 16, 2010 decided that only bio-fuel or CNG-run vehicles alone shall be allowed to ply for safari. On Tuesday, Justice Asopa, considering the fact that since the Euro standards of emissions have been recognized on par with bio-fuel or CNG vehicles, allowed the petitioners to ply their diesel vehicles for safari for the time being.