Measures for Reduction of Emission in Vehicles

The Ministry of Environment & Forests is working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to explore possibilities for the introduction of fuel (diesel and petrol) additives. These fuel additives will lead to emission reduction as well as fuel economy in vehicles. As these fuel additives would give dual benefit to economy and emission reduction, consumers would not go in for spurious additives which do more harm than good to their vehicles as well as the environment.

Over the past few years the Ministry of Environment & Forests has been taking a number of initiatives to reduce pollution levels in the major metropolitan cities of the country. These include the introduction of low-lead petrol of 0.15 grams per litre of petrol in the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai from June 1994. This was further introduced throughout the country from December 1996.

The next major initiative was the introduction of unleaded petrol (petrol with a lead content of less than 0.013 grams per litre) from April 01, 1995 in the four major cities for four wheel petrol vehicles fitted with caralytic converters. From June 01, 1998 other capitals of states and union territories and other major cities were included.

From September 01, 1998 all retail outlets in Delhi began supplying only unleaded petrol. From April 01, 2000 the entire country will be covered.

Similarly in the case of diesel, low sulphur diesel (diesel with a sulphur content of 0.5 per cent) began to be supplied in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and the Taj Trapezium from April 01, 1996. From September 01, 1996 the sulphur content in the Taj Trapezium was reduced to 0.25 per cent. From August 15, 1997 sulphur content of 0.25 per cent in diesel was introduced in Delhi. From April 01 this year diesel with sulphur content of 0.25 per cent will be introduced throughout the country.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests has released about Rs 500 crores between 1995-96 and 1977- 98 for about 26 environment protection schemes or projects. State Pollution Control Boards have been set up in 25 states and six Pollution Control Committees have been set up in the union territories.

Major steps taken for the protection of the environment from industrial pollution

• Prescription of effluent and emission standards.
• Notification stipulating ash content in coal used by thermal power plants.
• Directions to industries to install pollution control equipment on a time bound basis with legal action against defaulters.
• Environmental guidelines evolved for siting operation of industries, including zoning atlas for certain districts.

Steps taken for protection of the environment from vehicular pollution

• Unleaded petrol introduced in the four metros of Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi and Chennai from April 01, 1995. Only unleaded petrol being dispensed in Delhi from September 01, 1998.
• Major plans afoot for expansion of supply of unleaded petrol and introduction of low sulphur diesel.
• Fuel quality standards for petrol and diesel notified.
• Gross emission standards for on-road vehicles and mass emission standards for all categories of new vehicles notified under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
• Emission norms, introduced for the first time in 1990, made tighter in 1996. More stringent emission norms notified. These come into effect from April 01, 2000.
• Specification for 2-stroke engine oil notified and to come into effect from April 01, 1999.

Steps taken for protection of the environment in Delhi

• White Paper on pollution with action plan prepared. Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority for National Capital Region (NCR) set up to oversee implementation of action plan.

Other measures for protection of the environment

• Ministry has initiated environmetnal epidemiological studies in seven critically polluted areas. These are Vapi (Gujarat), Angul-Talchar (Orissa), Chembur (Mumbai), Cochin (Kerala), Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mandi-Govindgarh (Punjab) and Delhi.