INVC NEWS
With winters on the anvil, the capital is once again staring at the dreadful prospect of smog and unbreathable air. This puts the focus back on vehicular pollution, and the imminent need to shift vehicles to cleaner alternative fuels.
The government and public at large must look at cleaner fuel options such as auto LPG and minimize the use of Petrol and diesel.
The need of the hour is to make informed fuel choices for our vehicles so that we don’t not choke our cities and imperil the health of the younger generation. The number of premature deaths in India stood at 11 lakh in 2015 because of air pollution, a recent study by an American Institute found. There was about 50 percent increase in premature deaths in India between 1990 and 2015 because of toxic air quality.
Another recent report by Greenpeace, which assessed the state of air quality in 168 cities India, found that none of the cities comply with air quality standards prescribed by World Health Organisation (WHO). It also says fossil fuels, particularly petrol and diesel, are the main reason for the deteriorating air quality across the country.
“The capital was covered with a thick blanket of smog last Diwali, with young children being the most badly affected. As winter approaches again, we realize we have not done anything to alleviate the situation. We need to find a solution for the deteriorating air pollution situation in the country and we need to do it quickly. Many countries have switched to gaseous fuels CNG and LPG, including some in Asia, with very satisfactory results. In Turkey, 40 % of all private cars run on Auto LPG. There is no reason why we should delay adoption of these cleaner gaseous fuels,” says Mr Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC).
A study conducted in the national capital by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Kolkata-based Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Centre revealed that one out of every three children in Delhi had reduced lung function due to bad air quality.
Asthma is on the rise because of the growing air pollution and people who are more exposed to vehicular pollution are at greater risk. Given the scenario, the health of the people of the country is being increasingly compromised and the healthcare costs are going up.
Some changes are being brought in by the government to improve the air quality. The government has made it mandatory for all vehicles in the country to comply with BS-VI standards by 2020 in the country. It is also pushing electric vehicles as a means to fight vehicular pollution. But the infrastructure for the electric vehicles will take some time to be developed. Auto LPG can be looked at which can bring about the desired reduction in vehicular pollution almost immediately since there are 500 cities already having auto LPG filling station and other cities can be brought under the ambit instantaneously as Auto LPG can be transported very easily and does not require pipelines and other infrastructure to be established.
Auto LPG emits up to 120 times lesser particulate emissions than diesel vehicles, 96% lesser nitrogen dioxides (NOx) than diesel and 68% lesser NOx than petrol. CNG also has lower emissions than petrol and diesel. Given these facts, the governments must make exemptions for Auto LPG vehicles also while implementing road rationing scheme like the odd-even scheme.
Exemptions to owners of alternative vehicles from parking and road use charges will go a long way in making these fuels popular. Additionally, the government can look at GST benefits and subsidies to OEMs/dealers and retrofitters of CNG/LPG kit in order to encourage adoption to cleaner fuels.
