The National Green Tribunal (NGT)'s order to ban all vehicles older than 15 years could deal a massive blow to the Gurgaon, India’s fire brigade, which is already battling shortages in equipment and manpower. According to an estimate, nearly a fourth of the fire tenders will turn “obsolete” within a year, under provisions of the NGT order, according to a report in the Times of India.

Gurgaon's four fire stations currently have 30 vehicles, to deal with up to five incidents a day. This includes two hydraulic platforms, nine water tenders, two small tenders, a fire jeep, six water bowsers (mobile tankers), six foam tenders, two rescue tenders, and two water mist units. Seven of these vehicles are in their 14th year and would have to be taken off the roads in a few months, a fire department official said, according to the report.

Effectively, if one were to take out the obsolete and near-obsolete vehicles, the fire department would be left with only 19 functional vehicles, against a requirement of at least 28, according to the report.