(a) the measures proposed to be taken by the Government to reduce atmospheric pollution due to vehicular emission;
(b) whether the Government is considering any alternative fuel in order to reduce pollution; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) A gist of measures taken by the government for controlling vehicular emissions are as follows:
I. Bharat Stage (BS) –IV emission norms have been implemented in about 38 cities of the country from April, 2010 upto now, while BS-III emission norms have been implemented in the entire country from April, 2010 for four wheelers.
II. Mass emission standards (Bharat Stage III) have been notified for two, three wheelers and diesel driven agriculture tractors from April, 2010 throughout country;
III. Public transportation systems in several major cities are now running on clean fuels like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG);
IV. Expansion of Metro and the rapid mass transport systems in major cities;
V. New PUC norms have been notified vide GSR 103(E) dated February 23, 2012 for both gasoline and diesel B.S-IV vehicles , wherein besides idle emission limits for gasoline vehicles, high idle emission limits have also been proposed and it is implemented from February 2013;
VI. MoRTH ( Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in collaboration with Automotive Research Association of India has proposed to develop model I&C ( Inspection & Certification) centers in all the states and the said model will further be replicated by all state governments in their respective states;
VII. The proposal for setting up modern I&C centers for ten States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal, NCT of Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan has already been approved by MoRTH;
VIII. Presently CNG vehicles have been plying in around 70 cities of the country. More than 11 lakh CNG vehicles have been plying all over the country;
IX. Government has established Auto LPG Dispensing stations (ALDS) in 232 cities/towns of the country by 2012.
(b) & (c) The issues pertaining to introduction of alternate fuels are under the purview of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Sources (MNRE). Alternative fuels like natural gas, LPG, ethanol blended petrol including electric /battery operated buses etc. are being promoted by the aforesaid Ministries.