Monday, 25 July 2011

Vehicular Pollution Control

The Ministry plays a coordinating role in the field of controlling of vehicular pollution
with the concerned Ministries and its associated bodies/organizations including the Ministry
of Surface Transport, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Industry
for upgradation of automobile technology, improvement in fuel quality, expansion of urban
public transport systems and promotion of integrated traffic management as the vehicular
emissions is the major cause for deterioration of urban ambient air quality. The Gross
Emission Standards for vehicles have been prescribed from time to time and a road map is
prepared to improve the quality of the fuel.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also constituted an Expert Committee on
Auto Fuel Policy under the Chairmanship of Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Director General, Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to recommend an Auto Fuel Policy for the
country together with a road map for its implementation. The Committee was represented by
the Ministry and significant contribution was made in preparation of the Policy. The
Committee has submitted its final report to the Government of India in August, 2002 and the
recommendations of this Committee are under consideration for implementation.
As per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in W.P. No. 13029 of 1985 by M.C.
Mehta vs. Union of India and others, the Ministry coordinated the preparation of action plans
for control of vehicular pollution for compulsory switch over to CNG/LPG in the cities of
Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pune and Kanpur which were found to be equally or more polluted
than Delhi. The implementation of the plan submitted for these cities is being reviewed.
Nine cities viz. Agra, Varanasi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Faridabad, Jharia, Jodhpur, Patna
and Pune were also identified for improving air quality. Action plans for these cities are
being coordinated by the Ministry.
Promotion of the Ethanol Blended Petrol and Bio-diesel have also been taken up and
Ethanol Blended Petrol has been introduced in the selective States as a first phase.

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