urope. It will be unacceptable if the time lag instead of reducing gets further widened during this decade when motorisation is going to pace up. This will block rapid absorption of advanced emissions control systems needed to protect public health. The roadmap must enable India to close the time lag by introducing Euro VI emissions standards by 2020-21.
• Need uniform emissions standards across the country by 2015: The practice of limiting improved emissions standards only to a few cities and to a smaller proportion of urban population violates the fundamental right to healthy life for all. This also does not allow trucks to move to cleaner fuel and technology and they heavily pollute cities during transit and aggravate pollution in cities. The Bharat Stage IV emissions standards in force only in a few cities must be extended across the country by 2015.
• Introduce Euro VI standards by 2020-21 to address diesel toxicity: The WHO has officially declared diesel emissions as class I carcinogen for its strong link with lung cancer, putting it in the same class as tobacco smoking. While government of India has launched campaign to discourage tobacco smoking, it is encouraging dieselization of cars with favourable tax policy for fuel and lax emissions standards. As per the current norms diesel cars are allowed to emit three times more NOx compared to petrol. Particulate emissions are not regulated in petrol cars as these are negligible. Thus, adding one diesel car to the fleet is equal to adding three petrol cars in terms of NOx. This will be much more in terms of particulate emissions as emissions factors shows diesel cars emits five to seven times more particulate than petrol cars. Quick implementation of Euro VI emissions standards is needed because diesel emissions close gap with petrol emissions only at Euro VI stage and reduces the toxic risk.
• Stringent emissions standards will give much larger health benefits: India has much bigger advantage in influencing the future stock of vehicles. All surveys show that the average age of Indian vehicles are relatively new – averaging five-seven years. Only in the commercial truck and bus sectors there are older vehicles. In the coming two decades the future vehicles stock will be several times higher than the existing stock. There is much bigger benefit in improving the future stock to ensure cleaner air. Without clean emissions standards pollution aftermath in cities will be even more severe.
The way forward Narain says: “Indian cities cannot afford to fall behind when its pollution levels are rising rapidly and reaching unbearable heights. Indian cities in grip of serious air pollution crisis need to gather momentum and implement hard measures to meet clean air standards.”
• The entire country must move to Bharat Stage IV by 2015. Cars should meet Bharat Stage V by 2016 and the country should leapfrog to Euro VI standards by 2020-21.
• Cities need to implement clean air action plan to curb pollution from all sources to meet clean air standards in a time bound manner. Vehicles will need special attention. Cities need to protect their inherent strength in sustainable commuting practices – public transport, walking, cycling and city design.
• Cities must inform people about the air quality on a daily basis and issue health alerts for people, especially, children, elderly, and those suffering from respiratory and cardiac problems to take precaution. This is the global best practice.
• For interviews and any queries, please contact Sheeba Madan at email@example.com /8860659190