India has decided to roll out stricter auto fuel standards two years earlier by April in New Delhi to curb pollution as the region stays engulfed in toxic smog.
The Bharat Stage-VI grade auto fuel norms will be implemented by April 2018 instead of April 2020, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement on Wednesday, 15 November. The ministry took the decision in consultation with state-run oil marketing companies, taking into account the severe pollution levels in Delhi, it said.
The oil firms have been asked to examine the possibility of introducing BS-VI auto fuels in the entire National Capital Region, which includes Gurugram and Noida, by April 2019.
Automakers are required to be ready with BS-VI-compliant vehicles only by 1 April, 2020, said RC Bhargava, chairman at Maruti Suzuki Ltd, India’s largest passenger vehicle maker. The rollout will have to be done in a phased manner, he said.
Pollution crossed hazardous levels in Delhi with the air quality index staying in the “severe” category around 500. Levels rose after stubble burning by farmers in the neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, adding to dust particles from construction and auto emissions.
The move is an effort to reduce vehicular emissions and improve fuel efficiency in the national capital, the oil ministry said.
Auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said making BS-VI fuel available in Delhi won’t impact automakers negatively. “Fuel has always been made available two-three years before moving to new emission norms, it is the global practice,” the industry body said.
Honda Cars, however, said the company cannot be ready with BS-VI compliant vehicles by 1 April. It is working on schedule as per govt mandate to have BS-VI vehicles ready by 2020, Senior Vice-President Jnaneswar Sen told BloombergQuint.
(The article was originally published on BloombergQuint)
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