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| Uniform hues for green cars As a part of its exercise to comply with the high court directive on enforcement of Bharat Stage II (BSII) emission standards for vehicles plying in the Calcutta Metropolitan Area (CMA), the government has decided to create distinctive colour schemes for BSII-enabled vehicles. |
| The Telegraph, Kolkata, December 30, 2003, Page No. 19 |
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| CNG stations set up in
violation of environmental laws The compressed natural gas filling stations have been set up in the Islamabad city in violation of the environmental laws as none of these CNG stations have obtained clearance certificate from the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency. This has been stated in a letter recently sent by the Agency to the chief commissioner and the director-general of the CDA environment directorate. Under section 12 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, it is mandatory to seek approval from environmental protection agency/department for establishing projects having adverse environmental effects. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, December 30, 2003 |
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| UP resolves to go CNG in
new year The New Year may ring out the smoky diesel buses which have been hurtling regularly from Uttar Pradesh and plying along with the CNG buses in the Capital. The Delhi government wrested an assurance from Uttar Pradesh on plying CNG fuelled buses in the Capital within three months. The transport corporations of the two states arrived at the agreement at a meeting called here to discuss the possibility of reviving a lapsed agreement between them on plying of buses in each other’s territories. The agreement had lapsed more than two years ago but buses from both states had been operating undeterred. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, 4supp, December 30, 2003 |
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| Pollution levels increasing
in Srinagar Pollution levels are increasing in Srinagar city at a rapid speed. The prime reason for the increase in pollution is the ever increasing number of vehicles which are being added on a daily basis. Pollution control board (PCB) is having no jurisdiction to take action against the drivers whose vehicles cause pollution. |
| The Kashmir Times, Jammu, December 29, 2003, Page No. 1 |
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| Sale of loose mobil oil
banned With an aim to check pollution level in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the district administration has imposed a ban on the sale of loose 2T mobil oil with immediate effect. With an aim to check pollution, a number of directives had been issued by the Apex court. It had directed the authorities to prepare an action plan in this regard. |
| The Pioneer, Lucknow, 1supp, December 27, 2003 |
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| India treads European path,
turns to bio-fuel Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of diesel engine, had demonstrated it at the 1900 World Fair using groundnut oil. More than a century after that, bio-fuels seem set for a comeback. While the use of biofuels is prevalent in Europe, it could soon pick up in India as well. Indian Oil, Indian Railways and the Mahindra Group are conducting research in the field. If successful, bio-diesel could result in substantial reduction in petroleum imports. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, December 27, 2003, Page No. 5 |
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| Less smoke-emitting
vehicles to play on 17 new routes In order to ban tempos in Indore city less smoke-emitting vehicles will be introeuced on 17 different routes and preference for new vehicles should be given to those already having temporary or permanent permits. The decision was taken at a meeting held between district administration and office-bearers of tempo unions, an official release said. |
| The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, December 26, 2003, Page No. 11 |
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| Stalled cars The Land Transport Authority and the National Environment Agency are undoubtedly committed to motorists helping in the `greening` of Singapore`s air-clean though it still is- but they have passed up an opportunity to go beyond symbolism. The agencies this week extended for two years the rebates on `green` vehicles. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, III, December 26, 2003 |
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| CPCB to set up 6 air
monitoring stations In a bid to get more accurate trend on air pollution level prevailing in the Capital and accordingly devise policies to address it, the Central Pollution Contol Board has decided to set up six automatic air monitoring stations in Delhi. The air monitoring stations, which will be installed in the next six months, will record the ambient air quality level in the respective areas where it is installed every minute on a continuous basis. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, December 26, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Hold your breath, for a
tight hug from smog It`s not only the cold wave that is making life miserable for Delhi`ites these days. With the air pollution level increasing in the city, smog (smoke mixed with fog) is also back in the atmosphere, leading to a significant increase in respiratory and cardiac ailment cases in hospitals. Because of low temperature coupled with high humidity, these polutants released by vehicles and other industries remain suspended in the air, resulting in smog," said Dr Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Centre for Science and Environment. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, December 26, 2003, Page No. 2 |
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| US energy department to
help introduce hydrogen-powered automobiles in India The US depratment of energy will introduce three-wheeled, hydrogen-powered experimental vehicles in India through a joint project as a possible alternative to small vehicles commonly used in densely populated cities. In a public-private partnership supported by the US agency for international development and DOE, US companies specialising in the conversion of engines to hydrogen power will modify three-wheeled vehicles provided by the Indian auto manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, according to a DOE press release. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, December 26, 2003, Page No. 4 |
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| Consumption of diesel down Consumption of diesel has been on decline for the past three years, thanks to the large-scale adulteration of diesel with cheaper fuels like kerosene and LDO. The decline in growth during this period as 3.7 percent. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, December 24, 2003, Page No. 10 |
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| Check impure fuel, says
Delhi agency The high ratio of vehicles in proportion to road capacity, the failure to control fuel adulteration and unauthorised LPG conversions are some of the important factors which need to be addressed to reduce air pollution in Bangalore city, according to Mr Bhurelal, chairman, environment (pollution and control) authority, New Delhi. “We have also suggested that the state seriously consider a large scale expansion of the public transport system, which is definitely an advantage considering the BMTC experience in Bangalore,” Ms Sunita Narayan, head of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, December 24, 2003, Page No. 15 |
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| Govt told to check use of
adulterants in petrol The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, New Delhi brought to the attention of Karnataka State Government the indisciminate use of adulterants in vehicles resulting in pollution. Addressing a press conference Authority Chairman Bhurelal, who was here to discuss the Air Quality Improvement Action Plan for Bangalore City with NGOs and officials said that the Government should keep a check on the consumption pattern of kerosene, naptha solvent and light diesel oil (LDO) which were used in adulterating petrol and diesel. “If the number of diesel vehicles is going up and the diesel consumption is not increasing than it indicates that there is adulteration of diesel”, he said. He regretted that conviction rate for the offence of adulteration is low because of technicalities. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, December 23, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| General Motors to launch
MUV by mid-2004 General Motors India (GMI) is planning to launch a multi-utility vehicle, its next product for the Indian market, by mid-2004. The seven-seater multi-utility vehicle (MUV) is likely to be available in more than two trim levels. Also as part of its product strategy for the next three years, during which GMI`s volumes are expected to cross the 50,000 units mark, the company is working on offering diesel engine options for the Opel Corsa and the newly introduced Chevrolet Optra. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, December 23, 2003, Page No. 2 |
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| BEST must scrap old buses
by 2006 The Mumbai city’s public transport with the Bombay high court allowing it to scrap its old buses by January 1, 2006. The court directed the BEST buses over 15 years of age be phased out and replaced with Euro II or CNG buses. Currently the BEST has more than 700 buses that are over 15 years old. |
| The Times of India, Mumbai, December 20, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Bio-diesel project hits a
roadblock The ambitious bio-diesel project aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on imported oil has received a set-back. The Rs 70 per litre price tag of non-edible oil (extracted from Jatropha and Karanjiain plants), which is mixed with diesel to obtain bio-diesel, has been found unsustainable by the government for promotion as a green fuel nationally. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, December 20, 2003, Page No. 6 |
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| Duty relief for bio-diesel
sought In a bid to meet the bio-diesel requirements for its pilot project of diesel blending, the petroleum ministry has sought exemption of import duty on bio-diesel, which is at present not available in the country. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, December 20, 2003, Page No. 9 |
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| Pollution-free vehicles to
replace smoke emitting tempos Pollution free medium sized vehicles will soon replace the smoke-emitting tempos on the city roads. The arrangement has been made under an action plan, which has been prepared in order to free the city from tempos and pollution. The tempos operators with permanent permits will be given priority and if required, they will also be provided with loans for purchase of new vehicles. |
| Free Press, Indore, December 19, 2003, Page No. 9 |
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| Govt admits high pollution
level Minister for transport Awadh Bihari Choudhary admitted in the legislative council that a large number of auto rickshaws were using adulterated fuel, causing a serious health hazard to the citizens of Bihar state capital. He, however, claimed that officials have been directed to carry out emissions checks and impose stiff penalty on the defaulters. |
| The Hindustan Times, Patna, December 19, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Rise in number of vehicles The total number of vehicles registered in Delhi has gone up to 3.88 million in 2002 as compared to 2.85 million in 1997, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan said in a written reply. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, 3(S), December 19, 2003 |
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| Plant yielding diesel-like
retract grown in village Brig (retired) K.S. Dhillon of Sanaura village on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road has become first farmer of this region for successfully growing Jatropha, also called "diesel plant" properties of which match with that of diesel. The plant, is currently grown in Maharashtra and brought by Brig Dhillon is four-months old. The plant, has maximum age of 40 years, is likely to give full yield after three years. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, December 19, 2003, Page No. 5 |
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| Hyundai Mtr to invest $590
mln in cleaner vehicles South Korea`s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would invest 700 billion won ($588 million) to improve environmental standards on vehicles by 2008 to meet tighter government rules on emissions. As part of its environmental strategy, the government wants 20,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in service by 2007 and 800 CNG clean cars by 2010, it said. Hyundai also plans to replace existing buses used at its workplaces across the country with new clean ones gradually. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, December 18, 2003 |
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| High court to
hear Mexican truck environmental case The U.S. Supreme Court said this week it would hear a Bush administration appeal of a ruling that required an environmental analysis before Mexican trucks would be allowed on U.S. highways. The justices agreed to review the ruling by a U.S. appeals court that the Department of Transportation had failed to perform an analysis as required by the federal environmental laws. Mexican trucks, which include many smaller vehicles, can operate in the United States only in certain narrow commercial border zones, where goods must be transferred to U.S. trucks for transport throughout the country. The trucking moratorium has been in effect since 1982. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, December 18, 2003 |
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| Smokescreen
shadow on school skids The fearful fact: the school going child comes down with a mild cough for two days. Diagnosed as bronchial pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis or a disease of the lower respiratory tract by another name, the child is hospitalized, put on an artificial respirator and pumped with antibiotics. The fearful figure: A World Bank study, carried out in 1991-92, pegged the number of air pollution-related premature deaths in the city at 5,726 and the number requiring hospitalization and other medical assistance at 30 lakh. Four year later, a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed a rise of the respective data to 10,647 and 55 lakh. And the fume-fallout count is said to be rising daily, despite an industrial clean-up and because of no steps being taken yet to curb vehicular pollution. |
| The Telegraph, Kolkata, 1(S), December 17, 2003 |
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| Bharat II:
Transport operators clueless With the Bharat Stage II clock ticking away, there is little the Kolkota city`s public transport operators have done to meet the deadline specified. Their plea: cities like Delhi were given much more time in addition to government subsidy to facilitate the changeover. With the High Court deadline breathing down their neck, most transport unions have come up with their own methods to tackle the crisis. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, 4supp, December 17, 2003 |
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| Need to control
air pollution in Capital In the wake of rising air pollution level in Islamabad, (Pakistan) the need to initiate multi-pronged action and on ground measures has increased manifold. With Environment Ministry and the traffic police having a major role to play, it is also needed that they make collaborated challenges.efforts and evolve a long term strategy to meet the future environmental challenges. PAK-EPA and traffic police have been collaborating in the past to control pollution by taking action against the smoke emitting vehicles, but during recent years, no major development was seen. |
| The Nation (Internet), Pakistan, December 17, 2003 |
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| Air pollution
even worse for heart than lungs Long-term exposure to fine particles - so-called particulate matter - in polluted air is more likely to cause death from cardiovascular disease than from respiratory conditions, researchers reported. In a study looking at pollution effects in U.S. metropolitan areas, 45.1 percent of deaths were attributable to cardiovascular disease, whereas only 8.2 percent were related to respiratory diseases. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, December 17, 2003 |
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| State govt to ban vehicles
over 20 years from Jan The Goa government today decided to take all old (20 years and above) heavy and public transport vehicles, including privately-owned ones, off the roads from January 1, 2004. Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, announced at a post-cabinet briefing, that the ordinance banning these 20-year and older vehicles on the State s roads will be issued on January 1, 2004. Mr Parrikar also said an annual green cess of Rs 250 will be levied on all 20-year and older two-wheelers, while other vehicles will be levied a Rs 500 fee per year in addition to other road taxes, etc. |
| Herald, Panjim, December 16, 2003, Page No. 1 |
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| State steps up
on sops to steer autorickshaws to LPG The Transport Department, which is insisting on autorickshaws to sport yellow tops and digital meters, is steadily driving them towards using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) too, to check increasing vehicle pollution levels in Bangalore city. "In two-and-half years all autorickshaws in the city will run on LPG," Transport Commissioner I.M. Vittal Murthy told. There are around 75,000 autorickshaws in Bangalore. To encourage three-wheeler owners to go in for the zero pollutant, the Government is offering Rs 2,000 as subsidy. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1supp, December 15, 2003 |
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| Bengal balks at clean-air
deadline The Bengal government made it clear it will not be able to meet the Calcutta High Court deadline to ensure compliance with the Bharat Stage –II emission standard for all vehicles plying in the Calcutta metropolitan area. If the court refuses to give an extension, the government said, those vehicles which do not conform to the new norms would have to stay off the road after April 2, 2004. |
| The Telegraph, Kolkata, December 14, 2003, Page No. 1 |
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| Vehicle operators flay
Govt’s decision The government’s decision to impose a ban on eight year old commercial vehicles has met with mixed responses. The court order has ordered petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles to convert to gas failing which appropriate action would be taken. |
| The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, December 13, 2003, Page No. 15 |
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| SMC to convert
all vehicles to CNG Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), Gujarat, has plans to install CNG-based engines in all vehicles engaged by it with a view to reducing fuel costs and curbing vehicular pollution. Allocation has also been made to fit 26 vehicles owned by the corporation with CNG kits. |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, December 06, 2003, Page No. 4 |
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| Row over test
reports of petrol The registration of cases by the district authorities against seven petrol pumps owners here for alleged adulteration and the ongoing examination of test reports of petrol samples seems to have snowballed into a major controversy, dragging both the state government and the Union Minister for Petroleum into it. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, December 02, 2003, Page No. 6 |
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| Indraprastha
Gas eyes Gurgaon, Faridabad markets Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL), which markets compressed natural gas (CNG) in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, plans to expand to Gurgaon and Faridabad. The company, currently in the midst of a public issue being done through the book-building route, is of the view that there are formidable barriers to entry for new players in its sector. CNG distribution operations require a capital infusion of a decent scale, said Mr A.K. De, Managing Director of IGL. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, December 02, 2003, Page No. 13 |
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| Gail in joint
venture talks with MNCs for ‘blue sky’ project Gail (India) Ltd (Gail) is in alliance talks with leading Indian hydrocarbon distributing companies to extend its compressed natural gas (CNG) distribution network to 11 more cities.The public sector gas transporter and distributor has also opened parleys with a slew of multinational corporations to strike joint venture deals for rolling out its ambitious CNG project ‘Blue Sky’. Gail sources said that the company was currently exploring the possibilities of striking partnership deals with domestic petroleum marketing companies for distributing CNG in 11 cities. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, November 28, 2003, Page No. 5 |
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| CDG sets up 80
new fuel stations The Lahore city district government has facilitated investment of Rs1.4 billion in new petrol pumps and CNG stations, creating more than 7,000 direct and indirect job opportunities. This was claimed by district Nazim Mian Amer while talking to union council Nazims and councillors. He said each of 60 new petrol pumps and 20 CNG stations, sanctioned by the CDG since its establishment on Aug 14, 2001, had been built at a cost of Rs10 million to Rs15 million and created 15 to 20 direct and 65 to 70 indirect job opportunities. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, November 28, 2003 |
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Counterproductive
budget direction on cars - CMTA |
| The Island (Internet), Sri Lanka, November 27, 2003 |
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SC
notice to Centre on fuel adulteration expose |
The Hindu, New Delhi, November 27, 2003 Page 12 |
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Indraprastha
Gas wants Maruti to make CNG-run cars |
Business Line, New Delhi, November 26, 2003 Page 2 |
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IGL
plans CNG supply for Delhi outskirts |
The Economic Times, New Delhi, November 26, 2003 Page 13 |
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Flip-flop
on test reports of petrol samples |
The Tribune, New Delhi, 1supp, November 26, 2003 |
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| Battery-driven
transport soon Here is good news on the environment front in Pondy. Close on the heels of battery-operated three-wheelers, the government is all set to introduce four-wheelers of the similar kind in the Union Territory. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, November 25, 2003, Page No. 4 |
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Indraprastha
Gas launches CNG card |
The Times of India, New Delhi, November 25, 2003 Page 10 |
|
SC
notice to HPCL, Centre over diesel |
Business Standard, New Delhi, November 25, 2003 Page No. 2 |
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| 1 in 3 trucks
violate SC orders in city One in three trucks on Delhi roads are suspected to be running in violation of a Supreme Court order which bans entry of trucks that are not carrying goods for Delhi. The result: About 295 people died in the city in 2002 in accidents involving trucks and another 267 died till October 31, this year.R K Parimoo, director, Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR), says, ‘‘Most truck-drivers are ill-trained.” |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, November 24, 2003, Page No. 4 |
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| Auto companies
on safety trip The Indian automobile industry is going global in more ways than one. Soon after tagging emission norms to global standards, Auto Inc is now aligning its vehicle safety guidelines with European standards. Stricter safety norms is good news for the Indian consumer, but could have a mixed impact on auto majors. To help manufacturers upgrade, the government vehicle testing authority —Automobile Research Association of India (ARAI) and the industry body —Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), have proposed a phased implementation plan, starting 2005. Seventy European safety norms have been identified as must-achieve targets. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, November 24, 2003, Page No. 15 |
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| Congress
strikes deal on Californian emissions plan The U.S. Congress reached a compromise on the weekend that would allow California to set new air pollution standards on small, off-road engines while requiring federal regulators to adopt a nationwide emissions-reduction plan for other states by 2005. The agreement - announced by lawmakers involved with the issue - will now likely be included in a $390 billion catchall spending bill wrapping up Congress` work for the year, which includes funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, November 24, 2003 |
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| Autocatalysts
to lift Japan 2003 platinum demand Japan is expected to see a rise in platinum demand for autocatalysts in 2003 after the introduction of new vehicle emission standards, while demand from jewellery makers is seen dipping, a leading British metals refiner said. In its Platinum 2003 Interim Review released in London, Johnson Matthey (JMAT.L: Quote, Profile, Research) (JM) said Japanese platinum autocatalyst demand was expected to rise by 14 percent to 490,000 ounces, despite a forecast drop in Japanese car production of 3.8 percent during the year. JM attributed the anticipated rise in volume - to more than double the level of demand five years ago - largely to new emissions standards for heavy-duty diesel vehicles put into effect in the capital from October 1. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, November 21, 2003 |
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City
buses vow to check pollution: |
The Statesman, Kolkata, November 20, 2003 Page 1 |
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| GM pitches
hydrogen cars in oil-thirsty China China, guzzling petrol at a furious pace amid breakneck economic growth and car buying, should wean itself off oil by promoting vehicles powered by hydrogen, General Motors executives said. Executives from the U.S. auto maker will show off their latest concept cars to Chinese officials including Zeng Peiyan, minister of the powerful State Development and Reform Commission. The centerpiece of the GM Tech Tour that has included stops in San Francisco and Tokyo is the Hy-wire concept car that is powered by a hydrogen fuel and uses electronic steering, acceleration and braking. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, November 20, 2003 |
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| Replicating
Delhi The proposed introduction of green transport system by the Gas Authority of India (GAIL) in Kanpur, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Faridabad-after its extraordinary success in Delhi-comes as a breath of fresh air for a number of reasons. The authorities are at last showing signs of greater sensitivity towards issues of public health and cleaner environment. In the last two decades of Delhi`s exponential growth in terms of vehicular traffic, little or no concern was exhibited by the powers-that-be towards the rapidly deteriorating quality of air though surveys reported an alarming increase in the number of people getting afflicted by lung-related ailments...editorial |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, November 19, 2003, Page No. 6 |
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| High levels of
adulterants in auto fuels A survey recently done by the Centre of Science and Environment has found out that automobile fuel, being sold in satellite towns like Faridabad, Gurgaon and Meerut, are adulterated. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, November 16, 2003, Page No. 6 |
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| Foggy future
for fume-free deadline That the West Bengal government will have to move court to seek an extension of the deadline set by a division bench of Calcutta High Court, was always on cards. Though the decision finally came, the state government was never in a position to meet the deadline. Even if the court grants an extension, the question remains whether it will be able to meet the extended deadline. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, November 16, 2003, Page No. 11 |
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| Apex Court
stays Uttaranchal HC`s ruling on buses The Supreme Court has stayed the July 30 order of Uttaranchal High Court which fixed the life of buses in the state to 10 years. A public interest litigation was filed in the high court that the Uttaranchal state undertaking`s old buses were prone to accident and therefore, buses with lfie over 10 years should be banned. The high court gave an exparte order on July 30, banning the operation of all category of buses both private and state undertaking with life over 10 years. The state transport authority (STA) had fixed the life of old buses at 15 years.An All-Indian Motor Transport Congress statement welcomed the apex court`s stay. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, November 16, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Hydrogen
economy: India ready yet wary `A Hydrogen-powered vehicle at an affordable price by 2020`. This is what US President George Bush has dreamt of. And a high power delegation from the US is in India to convince the government to be a partner in this vision. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, November 13, 2003, Page No. 6 |
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| Battery-operated
vehicles getting popular Battery-operated vehicles could be the solution to the increasing vehicular pollution in Pondicherry. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, November 12, 2003, Page No. 4 |
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| Lucknow,
Sholapur to get low sulphur fuel Lucknow and Sholapur have been added to the list of cities which will be supplied with low sulphur content petrol and diesel by April 1 next year. Originally these cities were to be covered in the second phase of the programme to provide Bharat Stage II emission norms compliant fuels.According to a Petroleum Ministry release, petrol and diesel with 0.05 per cent sulphur content would be supplied in these cities from April 1, 2004 instead of April 1, 2005 as per the auto fuel policy. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, November 12, 2003, Page No. 13 & www.hinduonnet.com |
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| Rising vehicle
emissions choke Amdavadis Are headache, burning sensation in the eye, chest congestion or breathlessness now a part of your life? You could well blame the ever-burgeoning Ahemedabad traffic that has rendered the air not fit for breathing. |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, November 09, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Flyovers, LPG
autos to reduce air pollution More flyovers and one-ways are in the offing in Bangalore, as per a reply sent to Supreme Court by the State Government on its measures to check air pollution. Information, Environment and Ecology Minister Allum Veerabhadrappa, after a Cabinet meeting, said the SC in a direction on August 14 had come down heavily on Bangalore`s rising air pollution levels. The State Government replid that it woudl introduce LPG for three wheelers, Ethanol as alternative fuel and check prevention of adulteration. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1sp, November 08, 2003 |
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| Is it the
pollution unlimited certificate? The computerised pollution under control certificate given by the mobile checking unit of the Transport Department gives a lot of details - from the type of the vehicle to the date of checking.The permissible levels of carbon monoxide levels (4.5 per cent for two-wheelers and 3 per cent for three-wheelers) and the actual reading too find a mention in the certificate. However, the glaring omission is the levels of hydrocarbons and NOx. The AP State Pollution Control Board officials say that these pollution check vehicles are supposed to monitor the levels of NOx and hydrocarbons emitted by vehicles. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, 1sp, November 05, 2003 |
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| BMTC to serve
more city areas Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) managing director R.V. Devraj on Tuesday said the BMTC will soon extend services beyond the 28-km radius, up to 48 km in Bangalore.To bring down air pollution level in the city, Devraj said the Corporation was planning to launch 15 pollution-free buses on an experimental basis. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1sp, November 05, 2003 |
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| 20 squads to
monitor emission levels In a bid to monitor the emission levels of vehicles plying on Bangalore roads, 20 squads of the Transport department will be stationed at various points to levy spot fines from vehicles found emitting more than the permissible limits. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, November 04, 2003, Page No. 2 |
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| Private diesel
buses banned in Delhi Authorities in the capital have cracked down further on polluting diesel-driven buses in the city but green activists say that battle for green air will need more than such cosmetic steps.In a running battle against diesel, over 500 private run inter-state buses plying on diesel have been banned from using Delhi`s roads. But the ban by the Delhi Traffic Police has been criticised as discriminatory because scores of state-owned buses get away with the very violations that have led to curbs on their private counterparts. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, October 31, 2003, Page No. 11 |
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| Gasohol to be
available at TN petrol bunks from Dec. Motorists in Tamil Nadu will soon find that alcohol and driving do go together. Alcohol-blended petrol, or gasohol, which cuts emissions from cars and motorcycles, will be available at petrol bunks from December. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, October 31, 2003, Page No. 19 |
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| LPG-run taxis
to fuel tourism For the first time, Hyderabad will run on LPG-fuelled taxis. Maruti Udyog today introduced 20 LPG-run metered taxis as part of its drive to promote pollution-free transport in the city. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, 1sp, October 30, 2003 |
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| 24 more auto
LPG stations by next March With a view to speeding up its drive towards greener fuels, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has directed the four oil majors to hasten the setting up of 24 Auto LPG Dispensing Stations (ALDS) in the city before March 31 next year. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, 1(S), October 28, 2003 |
|
| Carmakers put
ecology When Nissan launches the eco-friendly version of its Ultima saloon car in California in three years, it will be a radical departure for Carlos Ghosn, the Japanese automobile manufacturer`s chief executive.the Ultima will be the first vehicle he has introduced that is not designed to make a profit. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, Oct. 28, 2003 Page 8 |
|
| Truckers sell
old vehicles even as Union plans to move SC Fearing seizure of their 15 years old transport vehicles in Mumbai by the transport autority in Maharashtra, a section of truck transport operators have jacked up the freigth rates ranging between Rs 1,000-1,500 per 9-tn truck pay load.What is more, a segment of panic-struck truckers have also begun to sell their trucks at "very low prices", industry sources say. Within a week`s time of the Mumbai High Court`s order, around 80-100 vehicles woudl have changed hands, they add. Fearing seizure of their 15 years old transport vehicles in Mumbai by the transport autority in Maharashtra, a section of truck transport operators have jacked up the freigth rates ranging between Rs 1,000-1,500 per 9-tn truck pay load.What is more, a segment of panic-struck truckers have also begun to sell their trucks at "very low prices", industry sources say. Within a week`s time of the Mumbai High Court`s order, around 80-100 vehicles woudl have changed hands, they add. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, Oct. 27, 2003 Page 9 |
|
| Machines to
check vehicle emission stuck at IGI For nearly a month now, three hi-tech gadgets for checking vehicle emission, have been lying at the Delhi airport. The Delhi government`s transport department Rs 1.5 crore on each of these machines that were shipped in from Sri Lanka. These remote-sensing machines will analyse a moving vehcile`s emission and record its registration number if the pollutants in the emission is higher than the permissible limits. For nearly a month now, three hi-tech gadgets for checking vehicle emission, have been lying at the Delhi airport. The Delhi government`s transport department Rs 1.5 crore on each of these machines that were shipped in from Sri Lanka. These remote-sensing machines will analyse a moving vehcile`s emission and record its registration number if the pollutants in the emission is higher than the permissible limits. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, Oct. 27, 2003 Page 4 |
|
| Environment News: Watch this haze, there is some bad news
breaking Puja Birla For those all set to splurge on crackers this Diwali, a note of caution This year the pollution levels are much worse than last year, and for some dangerous pollutants above dangerous levels. Today’s haze over Delhi is just one indication. Delhi inhales cleaner air compared to previous years but lack of pro-active action for the past 12 months has resulted in a gradual inching up of pollutants on the monitoring charts of the Central Pollution Control Board. In a report submitted to the Supreme Court in June this year, the Bhure Lal Committee pointed out that although better technology and improved fuel quality have helped clean up Delhi’s air, ‘‘increasing number of vehicles has the potential to nullify the results achieved’’. ‘‘The intensity of traffic in the Capital is not being regulated. The reason why NOx and RSPM are recording higher levels this year is because the influx of traffic has gone up,’’ says Anumita Roy Chowdhary of the CSE. |
The Indian Express, New Delhi, Oct. 24, 2003, Page 1supp |
|
| BPCL launches
Speed-93 brand Consumer research shows that vehicle owners are not averse to paying more for a fuel which enhances their driving experience, a senior official of the Bharat petroleum Corporation Limited said, at the launch of the company`s `Speed-93` brand petrol in Chennai today. |
| The Hindu, Chennai, October 23, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Commodity prices seen s urging after Diwali Commodity prices are likely to shoot up further after Diwali if heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) of 15 years and above are forced to go off the Mumbai roads immediately after January 2004 following the recent high court order. What is more, HCV-makers seem to be happy, as over 65,000 trucks would have to be scrapped if the high court order comes into force by the set time, and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) implements the HC’s order. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, Oct. 22, 2003 Page 1 |
|
New
designs and clean cars of the future to dominate Tokyo show |
The Indian Express, New Delhi, Oct. 21, 2003 Page 11 |
|
Brakes put on Euro-II option for old trucks |
The Times of India, Mumbai,Oct 18, 2003 Page 3 |
|
| First blow to
land on aged diesel taxis The action plan prepared by the state Government to reduce air pollution envisages phasing out polluting commercial vehicles and those which are more than 20-years old by 2009, conversion of three-wheelers to LPG mode within a year and stoppage of sale of fuel to vehicles without PUC certificate. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, October 17, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Fuel only to
vehicles with PUC from Dec Come December and petrol bunks will sell fuel only to those motor vehicles which have a pollution under-control certificate. The rule is in line with a directive by the Supreme Court that the administration initiate immediate steps to reduce air pollution in Hyderabad. |
| Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, October 17, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
Govt told to survey old vehicles, take action |
Deccan Herald, Bangalore, Oct 17, 2003 Page 5 |
|
Lean and green cars coming to Japan soon |
The Asian Age, New Delhi, October 17, 2003 Page 6 |
|
`PUC norms for diesel vehicles old` The pollution under control (PUC) norms have been reviewed for the first time in 15 years, with the union ministry of road transport, highways issuing a draft notification recently. But while the ministry has tightened the standards for petrol vehicles, the norms for diesel vehicles have not been changed at all. |
The Times of India, Mumbai, Oct 16, 2003 Page 2 |
|
Stillwater
inks deal to recycle autocatalyst PGMs: |
Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, October 16, 2003 |
|
Honda boards the diesel bandwagon: |
Financial Times, London, October 15, 2003 Page 8 |
|
The emissions race hots up: |
Financial Times, London, October 15, 2003 Page 8 |
|
| Car sales boom
in September; 13% rise Car sales surged by nearly 13 per cent in September with almost all manufacturers such as Maruti Udyog, Hyundai Motor India and Tata Motors recording a growth. Car sales went up for the sixth consecutive month to 56,764 units over 50,292 units in September 2002, data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed. Sales during April-September 2003 grew by a robust 23.7 per cent to 3.19 lakh units from 2.58 lakh cars during the same period last year. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, October 15, 2003, Page No. 10 |
|
| Honda improves
fuel – cell car in bid to surpass global rivals Honda Motor Co. said it developed a fuel- cell car that can run at sub zero temperatures, a move that may help it pull ahead of its global rivals in the competition to develop environmentally friendly technologies. Japan’s second-biggest auto maker in terms of sales said it developed the world’s first fuel-cell vehicle equipped with a fuel-cell stack that can operate at temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. |
| The Asian Wall Street Journal, Hong Kong, A3, October 13, 2003 |
|
| How many
private vehicles? Govt scratches head The Delhi State transport department doesn’t know how many private vehicles are there in the city. The department, it seems has not updated its data since last year. All that transport officials have to say about the private vehicle population in the city is that the figure ranges between 36 and 38 lakh. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, October 13, 2003 Page No. 4 |
|
| Many holes
in emission norms If you think Euro III emission norms for new vehicles will mean a clean ride, think again. The government caste system ensures only the bigger cities and Taj-sensitive Agra will get a quick mop-up. Even in these, more vehicles, old vehicles potholed roads, traffic jams and adultered fuel will mean higher emissions and a polluted ride. Sunita Narain, head of an NGO which has been pushing for clean air, questions the selection of 11 cities for speedier enforcement of the European emission norms the government is adopting. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, October 13, 2003 Page No. 9 |
|
| Because
there`s something in the air: As the winter smog descends on Delhi, a vast majority of its people find it difficult to breathe. The haze is loaded with tiny, toxic pollutants that escape from the vehicle exhaust. It chokes patients suffering from asthma and other lung ailments. Some of these tiny particles, called respiratory suspended particulate matter, can even cause cancer because they penetrate deep into the lung and cause irreparable damage to the walls; tinier the particles, the deadlier they are. At the ITO crossing, for example, respirable particulate matter of less than 10 micron size, called PM10, reached five times the permissible limit before CNG in all public buses was mandated. The World Health Organisation says that there is no safe level for particulate pollution. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, October 12, 2003 Page 5(s) |
|
| Green fuels
sooner rather than later The Auto Fuel Policy announced by the Centre was bad news because it pushed back all deadlines endorsed by the Supreme Court. But there is one roadmap that’s on track: the use of biofuel to cut harmful vehicular emissions by almost 50 per cent. In eight states, petrol is already being ‘‘blended’’ with a five-percent ethanol mix—with no change in vehicle engines— and the Government says it’s serious to bring this to the entire country by 2004. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, October 08, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Fuel cell cars
will make hybrids obsolete, GM says Less than a week after its biggest Japanese rival touted the economic and ecological benefits of hybrids, General Motors made a case of its own this week: only hydrogen-fueled cars will survive in the endgame. As the debate heats up over what the car of the future will ultimately look like, auto makers are staging a loud public relations battle to play up their strengths and justify the huge spending on developing the technologies so far. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, October 08, 2003 |
|
| Fuelling a
change While evaluating the Centre’s auto fuel policy, it is well to recall that the Supreme Court had not long ago strong-armed the government into enforcing strict vehicular emission norms in the principal metros. Its chief concern was with public health being put to serious risk by the polluting exhaust from the growing number of motor vehicles. Going a step further, the apex court had also insisted on the use of preferred technologies — such as CNG for buses and autorickshaws — in order to limit pollution levels that were choking the key cities...editorial |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, October 08, 2003, Page No. 10 |
|
| Three Steps
Back The National Auto Fuel Policy that has been cleared by the Union cabinet epitomises the aphorism, one step forward, two steps back. Actually, it has gone three steps back. Remember, it was only after constant prodding from the apex court in the late 1990s that the reluctant central and Delhi governments were forced to introduce Euro-II norms and compressed natural gas for public transport by 2000 in Delhi, that resulted in a 40 per cent drop in particulate emissions. The central government at that time wanted to push the deadline for Euro-II norms back by five years. The same dilatory tactics seem to be at work in the deadlines for various metros and cities in the country. (Editorial) |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, October 08, 2003, Page No. 6 |
|
| SC clean air
plan up in Govt smoke Delaying key deadlines and diluting norms endorsed by the Supreme Court on vehicular pollution, the Cabinet today cleared the first ‘‘National Auto Fuel Policy’’ laying the roadmap for the next decade on the quality of fuels and the standards for vehicles. The disturbing upshot of the policy—first reported in The Sunday Express on September 28—is that while 11 most polluted cities, including the three metros (plus Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Surat, Pune, Kanpur, Agra and Bangalore), will only catch up with Delhi by 2005, the rest of the country will have to wait for a ‘‘review’’ in 2006 to see if they will get clean fuel and vehicles by 2010. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, October 07, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Euro-IV norms
by 2010 The Government has laid out a phased programme for introducing Euro-IV vehicular emission norms in the country by 2010, requiring an investment of Rs 55,000 crore by oil and automobile companies in improving fuel quality and vehicular engine specifications. "The Cabinet has approved an Auto Fuel Policy that lays a roadmap for implementing Euro-II, III and IV vehicular emission standards by 2010," Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said. The Bharat Stage II (equivalent to Euro-II norms), which are currently in place in 11 cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Kanpur and Agra, will be applicable to all automobiles throughout the country from April 1, 2005. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, October 07, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Euro-IV norms
to cost Rs 55,000 crore The government announced a phased programme for introducing Euro-IV vehicular emission norms in the country by 2010, requiring a total investment of Rs 55,000 crore by the oil and automobile industry. The policy will seek to improve fuel quality and vehicular engine specifications. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, October 07, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| CSE spurns auto
fuel policy, calls it an eyewash Dubbing the national auto fuel policy as an "eyewash", Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) alleged the policy played into the hands of polluters and will destroy the Supreme Court`s initiative to protect public health. "The national auto fuel policy announced by minister for petroleum and natural gas Ram Naik, is nothing better than an eye wash. The policy, which plays into the hands of polluters, will destroy the SC initiative to protect public health," a CSE statement said. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, October 07, 2003, Page No. 7 |
|
| Only fuel cell
cars will survive: GM Less than a week after its biggest Japanese rival touted the economic and ecological benefits of hybrids, General Motors made a case of its own only hydrogen fuelled cars will survive in the endgame. As the debate heats up over what the car of the future will ultimately look like, auto makers are staging a loud public relations battle to play up their strengths and justify the huge spending on developing the technologies so far. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, October 07, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| Plan to clean
cities cleared With the Cabinet`s green signal to the Auto Fuel Policy, the Government has accepted a road map to clean the air of cities all across the country. The significance of the decision is whether other metros will follow Delhi example to first target pollution from public vehicles or private ones. The Supreme Court has taken some hard decisions in the course of hearing of the air pollution public interest petition, to put pressure on the State Government to introduce CNG-run public transport system. Whether the apex court will also follow progress in other cities is an unanswered question. However, at the peak of the CNG crisis in Delhi, the court had mentioned that it will bring other highly-polluted cities like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Lucknow under its scanner. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, October 06, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Honda’s
new fuel-saving system Honda Motor said that it has developed a new fuel-saving, emissions-cutting technology for use in 50CC scooters a year and a half ahead of schedule, and plans to install it in all Japanese models by 2007. The system, which uses an electronically-controlled fuel injection system in four-stroke 50CC engines, reduces emissions of harmful carbon monoxide gases by half and improves fuel efficiency by up to 10 per cent compared with conventional scooters, the motorcycle maker said. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, October 04, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Auto fuel
policy gets cabinet nod The Union Cabinet cleared the auto fuel policy for the country on the recommendations of the Dr R A Mashelkar Committee. The panel had formulated a roadmap for vehicular emission norms to be effective from April 1, 2005 and Euro III to come into effect from April 1, 2010. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, October 04, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Environment-friendly
auto fuel policy likely The auto fuel policy is likely to change with the petroleum and road transport ministries suggesting a road map for introduction of environment-friendly norms. The issue is likely to be discussed by the Union Cabinet. An important issue under consideration is whether the government should recommend both technology and norms. A section in the government feels that only norms should be prescribed by the government and the choice of technology should be left to consumers. In Delhi, however, norms (Euro II) as well as technology (CNG) were prescribed. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, October 03, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
| Watch out that
killer smoke... Air pollution in cities causes five times as many deaths and illness as malaria! Black smoke bellowing out of vehicles, especially diesel trucks, buses and autorickshaws have clouded up cities. Vehicular population in Bangalore city has crossed an alarming 17 lakh. There is an increasing incidence of respiratory illnesses and deaths. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, October 02, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Ethanol-blended
petrol extended to Uttaranchal and Madhya Pradesh The government decided to launch ethanol-blended petrol in Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal with effect from January 1, 2004. The ethanol supplies to these States would be made from the neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh till the ethanol-petrol blending projects are set up in the respective States. Talking to the media, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said that the States of Goa, Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab and the Union Territories (UTs) of Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar-Haveli have been now fully covered by the supply of ethanol-blended petrol as on September 30, 2003. Most of the districts of Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have also been fully covered. Naik also announced that the mandatory sale time schedule is being extended. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, October 02, 2003, Page No. 14 |
|
| City`s suburbs
may also get CNG stations The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) will now take the green fuel — Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to Delhi’s neighbouring states. According to the managing director of IGL, A K De the organisation is conducting a feasibility study on setting up CNG stations in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghazaiabad. ‘‘It is in the initial stages, but we have been studying the situation,’’ he said. The setting up of CNG stations in Delhi’s eastern suburbs was thought of because of the large number of buses and auto rickshaws that ferry passengers to these satellite townships. These vehicles had to come back to the city limits to get CNG fuel. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, October 01, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Passengers wait
to breathe easy No one denies that the 1.5 billion passengers on flights worldwide every year breathe cleaner air since smoking bans started in 1990. But complaints from passengers and flight attendants of headaches, other health ailments and odours linked to the air on planes have piled up for years. It’s anyone’s guess whether cabin air pressure — thin air equivalent to that found on an 8,000-foot mountaintop — is healthy. That air pressure provides about 74 per cent of the oxygen available at sea level. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, October 01, 2003, Page No. 15 |
|
| Haryana &
Punjab to sell green fuel from today Come October 1, ethanol blended petrol would be on sale in Punjab and Haryana. The two states would be joining UP and Maharashtra which have been offering the eco friendly fuel for the past couple of months. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, October 01, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| Ministry keen
to set up fly ash training institute The Union Ministry for Urban Development is willing to support the setting up of a national training institute for promoting the utilisation of fly ash and rice husk ash and create trained manpower. Announcing this, the Minister of State for Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, said there was an urgent need to translate the large amount of fly ash (a thermal power plant waste) and rice husk (paddy wastes), which are potentially harmful to the environment into useful products like bricks. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, October 01, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| To retrofit or
not to, HC will decide soon The Bombay High Court will soon decide whether to allow the 20,000 odd heavy vehicles with Euro-II compliant engines instead of scrapping them altogether. The vehicle owners have been pushing for retrofitting Euro-II engines, which comply with stricter environment norms, as a viable option to replacing vehicles entirely or converting the engines to run on CNG. |
| The Times of India, Mumbai, September 30, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Curcas power Imagine the scenario. Hundreds of vehicles plying on the roads and not a puff of suffocating smoke going up into the air. No longer a dream if one goes by what the Chief Minister of Karnataka said at a recent scientific workshop in Bangalore. The reason - vehicles in the city will soon be running on a more environment friendly fuel (a mixture of five percent ethanol and petrol) which is likely to be made available in seven districts of Karnataka including the city of Bangalore. If the proposed idea were to actually reach practical heights, problems like pollution associated with the use of petrol and diesel, and concerns over the rapidly depleting sources of oil and fuel would largely be put to rest. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 1supp, September 30, 2003 |
|
| New rules
target metropolis` diesel exhaust Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures will debut regulations to curb emissions from diesel-powered trucks and buses to clear up the region`s air pollution problem -- the nation`s worst. It is the first attempt by local governments to jointly impose stricter regulations than those set by the national government to control particulate matter emissions from diesel vehicles. |
| Japan Times (Internet), Japan, September 30, 2003 |
|
| Govt move on
‘green’ fuels hits roadblock The government’s initiative to go green with eco-friendly fuels has suffered a setback with petroleum dealers opposing the introduction of the new ethanol-blended petrol (EBP) due to “lack of infrastructure” and the vehicle-users apprehensive of using it. The Centre has introduced the EBP in nine states across the country in a phased manner since January this year, in order to reduce pollution levels. The use of ethanol reduces the emission of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from vehicles. It was also a move to help ailing sugar factories in the country as ethanol is produced from molasses. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, September 27, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| CNG may be a
reality in the city by 2005 In the wake of the rising pollution levels in the twin cities of Andhra Pradesh, the Road Transport Authority is actively considering to implement the usage of Compressed Natural Gas for vehicles plying in the twin cities. It is proposed that CNG will be available in the twin cities by 2005. |
| Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, September 27, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Body set up to
finalize plan: Plying of CNG buses in Capital The deputy commissioner, Tariq Mehmood Pirzada, (Pakistan) formed a committee to finalize the plan of introducing CNG-fitted buses in the capital. The committee will comprise secretary, Islamabad Traffic Authority (ITA), Rana Akbar Hayat, SP Traffic Zubair Hashmi and the CDA director roads. The body was formed after a briefing given by a private firm which intended to launch a new bus service with 25 CNG-fitted vehicles. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, September 25, 2003 |
|
| More rectors
only when convinced-Kakodkar Vehicular pollution will be a thing of the past in the near future. Making it happen will be fuel cell powered vehicles zooming on roads and highways. If that seems a distant dream, scientists at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research are daring a dream and are actually perfecting the technology to produce hydrogen from seawater. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, September 25, 2003, Page No. 17 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Meet on
biofuels on September 26 With ethanol production growing worldwide, Apitco is organising a conference on the "Prospects of ethanol a sustainable bio-fuel" in Hyderabad on September 26. The meet is being organised to showcase demand and potential for bio fuels as alternate fuel. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, September 25, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Poor quality
fuel takes toll on drivers Private bus operators blamed the low quality fuel issued by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as one of the reasons for the high rate of road accidents since this renders their drivers medically unfit to properly carry out their task. Private Bus Owners Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne told a press conference that the failure to provide quality fuel for buses has resulted in a spate of grave road accidents. |
| Daily News (Internet), Sri Lanka, September 24, 2003 |
|
| Meeting to
discuss prospects of ethanol The potential for biofuels or cleaner fuels can help the country save about Rs 830 crore foreign exchange annually. By using ethanol as a substitute for gasoline and biodiesel for petro, diesel, biofuels help to reduce air pollution and dependance on oil report, according to a report submitted by the Planning Commission. With energy diversification and added fuel choice, biofuels are renewable and eco-friendly. Produced from biomass such as sugarcane, molasses, sweet sorghum, grains and oilseeds, the usage of these fuels are already wide spread in the US, Europe, Brazil and China which has led to higher biomass yield and rural employment. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, September 23, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
Schwarzenegger
Says He Will Push Fuel Cell Cars |
| Planet Ark (Reuters), Australia, September 23, 2003 |
|
| Spurious diesel
racket busted A police team busted a racket manufacturing and selling spurious diesel and seized 50,000 litres of fake diesel and lubricants, besides manufacturing equipment. A police team busted a racket manufacturing and selling spurious diesel and seized 50,000 litres of fake diesel and lubricants, besides manufacturing equipment. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, September 22, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
Car
industry set for takeoff: Study |
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, September 23, 2003 page 17 |
|
| France aims to
become leader in clean transport France is to invest nearly €40 million into the research and development of sustainable transport. The government this week announced its ambitions to head up the industrialised nations in cleaner transport methods by 2010, and to increase the innovation and competitiveness of the transport sector. France is investing in cleaner, sustainable transport to cut emissions. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, September 19, 2003 |
|
Automobile exports zip ahead |
The Pioneer, New Delhi, September 18, 2003 Page 11 |
|
Car exhaust cleaner than air |
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, September 17, 2003 Page 14 |
|
State
promotes `ratanjot` oil as `bio-diesel` |
The Times of India, Ahmedabad, Sept 16, 2003 |
|
| Emission test
centres to require PCB nod Vehicle owners in the Kolkata city have always found it easy to get a Pollution Under Control Certificate from a testing centre by shelling out a meagre Rs 30 extra. The pollution control board has now woken from its slumber and decided to take matters in its own hands. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, spIII, September 15, 2003 |
|
| Hyundai plans
to introduce diesel Santro The Indian subsidiary of South Korean automaker Hyundai plans to introduce a diesel engine version of its flagship car Santro, its managing director J.I. Kim said. The 1.1-litre engine which would be based on common rail diesel injection (Crdi) technology was currently being developed by Hyundai Motor’s subsidiary in Korea, Kia Motors, and is expected to be commercially launched by 2005, Kim said. “Previously, we had dropped the idea of developing a 1.1-litre crdi engine for the Santro. But, now it has been revived”, he said in an interview. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, September 15, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Banned tempos
to get plying permits Instead of banning tempos which are responsible for major pollution, the Madhya Pradesh state government has chosen to encourage them. Under the pressure of some local Congress leaders in view of the forthcoming elections, an order of 50 new permits was released by the government. |
| Free Press, Indore, September 14, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Watchdog wants
fewer 2-stroke vehicles in war against pollution In what might be the next step to fighting pollution in Delhi, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has asked the Supreme Court to direct the Union Transport Ministry to frame policies to reduce the number of personal vehicles in the city, especially two-wheelers. According to the EPCA, pollution problems arising out of two-wheelers are unique in Asian countries as in Europe and the United States there are not as many two-wheleers. Two-wheelers in the National Capital Region are largely two-stroke and thus one of the major pollutants of the city. "We want tax incentives should be given to those who buy two-wheelers meeting emissions norms meant for 2008 by 2005," said Anmita Roy Chaudhary of the Centre for Science and Environment, who conducted the study for EPCA. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, September 12, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Auto fuel policy: north block says duties can’t be
polluted The finance ministry has turned down the provisions for fiscal incentives in the proposed auto fuel policy, as sought by the Mashelkar committee. According to sources, the finance ministry is not in favour of "end-use based exemption or extending full duty exemption to any commodity". The comments of the finance ministry are being included in the draft Cabinet note being prepared on the new auto fuel policy. The Mashelkar report had sought lower customs duty on imported capital goods and machinery required for improving fuel quality, including liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and other alternative fuel technology. The report had also suggested lower excise duty on indigenously manufactured goods, equipment and machinery to better fuel quality and auto technology including compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and other alternative fuels.9 |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, September 11, 2003 Page No. 3 |
|
Smart
cards to cost city Rs 130 cr |
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, September 10, 2003 Page No. 5 |
|
| KRCL ropes in
German firm to certify sky bus system With not much help forthcoming in the country for testing its sky bus system, Konkan Railway Corporation (KRCL) has roped in German agency TUV InterTraffic GmbH for certifying the system. The corporation has also asked the various state governments to enact a Sky Bus Metro Act so that the systems when introduced will need to get safety clearance from a sky bus safety commissioner and not the Railway safety commissioner. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, September 09, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Why don`t they buy diesel? Cheaper adulterated versions depress diesel consumption in an era of decontrol. Green fuels add to the lowered demand. |
Outlook, New Delhi, sp88, September 8, 2003 |
|
| CM’s
‘green’ gift for vehicle-owners A more environment-friendly fuel, a mixture of five percent ethanol and petrol, will be made available in the city by the end of the month. This was announced by Chief Minister S.M. Krishna during the inauguration of a two-day workshop on ‘‘Scientific strategies for production of non-edible oils’’. ‘‘Five percent ethanol-blended petrol will be introduced in seven districts including Bangalore, by the end of September 2003,’’ the CM said in his speech, that was read out by Minister for Environment and Ecology Allum Veerabhadrappa. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, September 07, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Modalities for
battery-operated buses discussed The Delhi Transport Corporation discussed the modalities of introducing battery operated buses in the Walled City with the Union Minister of State for Sports, Mr Vijay Goel told the Transport Minister in the Government of NCT of Delhi, Mr Ajay Maken that Rs 30 lakh had been sanctioned from his Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme for plying 10 such buses. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, sp3, September 06, 2003 |
|
| Anti-pollution
norms silent on diesel vehicles Pointing out that lax norms and inadequate testing methods remain the bane of our roads, the Centre for Science and Environment came down heavily on the revised Pollution Under Control norms issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport, arguing that it was silent on diesel vehicles which still remain the source of deadly particles in the air. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, September 06, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Pesticides to
pollution: CSE rides a new cause From pesticides to vehicular pollution, Delhi-based NGO — the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) raised a new issue. Criticising the new draft notification on revised pollution under control (PUC) norms which lets off diesel vehicles, CSE said that even as the government had woken up after more than 10 years to revise the PUC norms, it had however shied away from touching diesel vehicles — the dirtiest on the road. “The CSE is shocked that this first ever revision since 1992 has not even addressed on-road diesel emissions, neither has the notification laid out test procedures for all types of vehicles,” CSE associate director, research and advocacy, Anumita Roychowdhury said. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, September 06, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Elf to launch
oil for CNG vehicles ELF Lubricants India plans to introduce engine oils for CNG and LPG vehicles within the next two weeks. The new product "Lubrigas" will be positioned as a premium gas oil for makers of CNG vehicles such as Swaraj Mazda and also at specialised service stations. "Lubrigas will not be made directly available through the `bazaar` or informal distribution network. The product will be supplied in barrels to CNG vehicles` service stations in Mumbai and Delhi within the next two weeks and will cost higher than ordinary engine oils," Mr P.K. Mittal, Vice-President Sales, TotalFinaElf, told Business Line. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, September 04, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Ethanol-mixed
petrol in 8 States, 4 UTs by month-end Eight States and four Union Territories will start using ethanol-blended petrol by the end of this month. According to Mr B.K. Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the States and UTs, which will start using ethanol-blended motor spirit, include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Daman and Diu and Chandigarh, among others. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, September 04, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| State to
‘test drive’ bio-fuel to check pollution, moot options Contemplating to introduce bio-fuel as an alternative to conventional fossil-fuel, the Karnataka State Government has embarked upon a pilot project to see if bio-fuel actually makes the difference and reduce vehicular pollution in the city. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will run five buses on bio-fuel over the next three months. Once successfully established that this fuel reduces pollution, the government is thinking of switching over more public vehicles to bio-fuel. The Environment Management and Protection Research Institute (EMPRI) will be working on the feasibility of this fuel and its availability in the State. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1supp, September 03, 2003 |
|
| Honge oil to
replace diesel in five BMTC buses To bring down pollution levels, especially in urban centres, the Karnataka State government is all set to introduce bio-fuels in the State including blending of five per cent of ethanol, obtained from sugar molasses in petrol and the substitution of honge oil for diesel, Mr Vijay Gore, Additional Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner and Agricultural Production Commissioner. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Indian Oil Corporation and BMTC officials, he said sugar mills in Karnataka can produce 340 lakh litres of ethanol, but the production can go up considerably to enable blending of up to 20 per cent of ethanol in petrol. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, September 03, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| In the U.S.,
more cars than drivers American households now have more cars than drivers, according to a report released by the Transportation Department. The American household now has on average 1.75 drivers but 1.90 ‘personal vehicles’, said the report. By comparison, households average 0.86 adult-size bicycles. The car population has been gaining on the driver population for some time. |
| International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, September 01, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Policy in the
offing to attract CNG buses The Punjab (Pakistan) government will soon announce a new policy package for the Franchised Urban Transport Scheme to encourage operation of environmentally friendly CNG buses. The government will offer 10 per cent subsidy on loans for the CNG operated buses under the new policy, while four per cent subsidy being offered on non-airconditioned buses will be withdrawn. The subsidy on loans for airconditioned buses will be reduced from eight per cent to five per cent. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, September 01, 2003 |
|
| Bhutan to
import superior quality diesel The National environment commission (Bhutan) with the ministry of trade and industry (MTI) is planning to take cleaner air pursuit a step further –replacing the normal diesel fuel used in motor vehicles with ‘ultra low sulphur high speed diesel’ (ULS HSD). Negotiations with the Indian oil company, Bhsrat petroleum corporation limited (BPCL), dealer for the fuel, are complete and trade ministry now awaits the formal nod from the government. |
| Kuensel, Bhutan, August 30, 2003, Page No. 7 |
|
| Reva electric
car enters Andhra Pradesh market Reva, India`s first electric vehicle, has entered Andhra Pradesh market with the opening of the showroom of the The Hindustan Corp Pvt Ltd, the Reva electric car dealers for Andhra Pradesh. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, August 30, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Andhra govt to
give tax exemptions to electric vehicle manufacturers In what could be a move to attract other electric vehicle manufacturers besides Reva Electric Car Company, the government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) has decided to give all electric vehicle manufacturers tax exemptions in the state. The exemptions of sales tax of 12 per cent and road tax of about nine per cent will be waived on electric vehicles as they are non-polluting vehicles. The move will help to reduce health hazards caused due to air pollutions and these non-polluting vehicles is a step towards maintaining eco-friendly environment. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, August 30, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| EPA eases
Clean Air Act and angers environmentalists The Bush administration has outraged environmental groups with its amendment to the Clean Air Act, which opponents say will allow more air pollution from 17,000 industrial facilities in the US. Environmentalists say the changes in EPA rules will allow more emissions from power plants . The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has, this week, introduced a new rule into the Act, which will allow companies to be exempt from the ‘new source rule’ (NSR). This NSR requires corporations to install modern pollution control technologies in plants when they increase their emissions output through new equipment additions to their facilities. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 29, 2003 |
|
| Australia
releases Power Generator Scorecard The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has released an environmental audit of Australia’s major electricity generators, ranking them according to total greenhouse gas pollution. WWF say that the resultant document, the Power Generator’s Scorecard, will aid discussions about Australia’s energy future in the lead up to vital energy policy discussions at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on august 29, particularly as, at present, there are no mandatory requirements to reduce the greenhouse intensity of Australian power generation operations. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 29, 2003 |
|
| Compromise on
the EU-German road toll feud The European Commission and the German government have reached an agreement on the new German road toll system for trucks. Under the agreement Germany can start charging trucks a toll, thought to start at €0.12 per kilometre rising to €0.15 over time, to use the German motorways. The government expects this to raise over €2 billion worth of income as a form of environmental tax. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 29, 2003 |
|
| EPA says won`t
regulate CO2 emissions from autos The Bush administration denied a petition by three environmental groups to declare carbon dioxide spewed by automobiles as a pollutant, saying it has no authority over emissions linked to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency said Congress did not give it the power to declare carbon dioxide from autos as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. The heat-trapping gases have been linked to rising Earth temperatures by many scientists. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, August 29, 2003 |
|
Diesel
sales falling as demand grows |
Business Standard, New Delhi, August 28, 2003 Page 8 |
|
Centre
may allow State to use CNG as fuel |
Deccan Herald, Bangalore, August 27, 2003 Page 4 |
|
‘CNG did not intensify blasts’ |
The Times of India, Mumbai, August 27, 2003 Page 3 |
|
| 30 more CNG
filling stations in city by Dec Some 30 more Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations would be put in place in Dhaka city by next December. These will be in addition to the 22 existing ones, State Minster for Energy and Mineral Resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain said while inaugurating a new CNG filling station in the city’s Mirpur area. |
| The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, August 26, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
Anti-pollution drive slackens |
The New Indian Express, Bangalore, August 26, 2003 4supp, |
|
Workshop
to promote environmentally friendly transport modes |
| The Island (Internet), Sri Lanka, August 26, 2003 |
|
| Search for bio
fuels moves into overdrive The flashy Mercedes that pulls up to you near a traffic signal may very well be running on oil extracted from a small fruit called jathropa. The engine of the train that you travel in may again be powered by the same fuel called biodiesel. Anywhere in the world, when people say the word automobile, the first thing that comes to your mind is a petrol-guzzling engine belching out smoke. However, if some greenheads have their way, using fossil fuels in automobiles might be a thing of past. With the concerns about the depleting levels of petroleum as well as rising air pollution, the world is fast moving towards alternative fuels. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 25, 2003, Page No. 16 |
|
`Emission
level in most MTC buses far above permissible limit` |
The Hindu, Chennai, August 24, 2003 Page 3 |
|
Emission
testing set to go hi-tech |
The New Indian Express, Chennai, August 23, 2003 sp1 |
|
LPG
plan for rickshaws could clean up air |
The Times of India, Ahmedabad, August 22, 2003 Page 3 |
|
| GBP60 fines for
excessively emitting vehicles in Glasgow Drivers in Glasgow could be fined a fixed penalty of £60 if their vehicle is found to be releasing excessive exhaust emissions. Regulations due to be implemented this week, will allow wardens to patrol areas in and around Scotland’s largest city, testing all modes of transport for compliance with the 1998 Road Vehicles Regulations. Checks will be made at random for the emission of smoke, vapour, gases and oily substances. If the vehicle fails the test, a £60 fine is issued – drivers can also be charged £20 if they refuse to turn off their engine when parked. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 22, 2003 |
|
| Green
transport for London A new business venture, offering an alternative mode of transport, could see a healthier population of Londoners and cleaner city air. Green transport will soon be available in Hammersmith and Fulham. Courtesy of OY Bike 2003. OY Bikes is initiating a scheme to get Capital commuters pedalling their way around the city – rather than using the convention buses, trains, tubes, and taxis’. In and around Hammersmith and Fulham, 130 green and yellow bikes will be placed at 600 locations, offering customers a polluting-free method of travelling within the city. The pilot scheme is due to start in September and will place the bicycles at strategic transport points such as tube stations, public buildings and car parks. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 22, 2003 |
|
| Ban import of
second-hand car, used tyres: House panel Criticising the auto policy as “short-sighted”, a Parliamentary panel demanded a total ban on import of second-hand cars and used tyres. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on industry, in its report tabled in Parliament, also flayed the policy for not having adequate incentives for upgradation and modernisation of buses considering that they were an indispensable mode of transport for majority of the population. “Despite this, like trucks, buses continue to run with obsolete technology, poor construction and have little to offer in passenger comfort,” it said adding, they also have an unenviable record in safety. The committee wanted a ban on import of second-hand cars as the country was being converted into a “graveyard for the cars or dumping ground for second-hand cars which is eating into the domestic car industry”. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, August 22, 2003, Page No. 10 |
|
| Groups Urge EPA
Nominee to Back Clean Diesel Rules Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, the Bush administration`s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, was urged to implement federal rules by spring 2004 to reduce polluting emissions from heavy equipment and other non-road engines that run on diesel fuel. Wednesday was the final day for public comments on an EPA proposal to sharply cut diesel pollution, which aggravates asthma, contributes to heart disease, causes lung cancer and obscures visibility in national parks. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, August 21, 2003 |
|
| Registration
of vehicles goes online Owners of new cars and two-wheelers in the Capital can heave a sigh of relief as they won`t have to run around anymore for the registration certificate, thanks to the `simple` online registration of vehicles. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit inaugurated the direct "Online Self-registration System" from dealers of some automobile majors, which would enable obtaining the Registration Certificate (rc) without having to make endless trips to the Motor Licencing Office (MLO) or the transport headquarters. Transport Minister Ajay Maken and senior officials of Transport Department were also present on the occasion. The Transport department has short-listed 54 dealers as self-registering agencies and has now extended the system to be available online to the customer for added transparency. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, August 21, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| CNG bus gutted
while refilling A Blueline bus was gutted in a fire that broke out while filling CNG in a Mahipalpur station. The incident has led the Delhi Contract Bus Association to complain to the Delhi Government about the bus being converted by a firm that has since closed its operations in Delhi. "The company was authorised by the government to convert diesel buses into CNG. Now the Delhi government should tell us who is liable for these accidents," said Harish Sabbarwal, secretary of the association. The firm had converted as many as 26 buses from diesel to CNG. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 21, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Emission
Standards enforced from January The Air Emission Standards which came into effect on July 1st 2003 will be fully enforced from 1st January 2004 by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the relevant authorities concerned. The Institute of Automotive Engineers Sri Lanka has made arrangements to conduct programmes to create awareness among automotive engineers on the prohibited levels of emission of noxious gases from diesel and gasoline vehicles. The programme also seeks to meet challenges in the future regarding maintenance of vehicles and the type of equipments available. The first of these programmes where competent engineers from India will make presentations, gets underway on August 30 at the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute at Katubedda. |
| The Daily News (Internet), Sri Lanka, August 20, 2003 |
|
| Plan to develop
hydrogen as auto fuel The government has planned a major initiative to develop hydrogen as an auto fuel. The petroleum ministry has decided to constitute as India Hydrogen Corpus Fund with contribution from all oil companies. Indian Oil Corporation will be the nodal agency for the fund. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, August 18, 2003, Page No. 12 |
|
| `Vehicles, not
industries, to blame for pollution` The large number of vehicles emitting noxious gases like Carbon Monoxide and suspended particulate matter are the main cause of air pollution in Bangalore city. Industries which are not present in significant numbers, do not contribute much to air pollution here, according to Dr D C Sharma, zonal officer, Central Pollution Control Board. Going by the figures given bey transport commissioner L M Vittala Murthy, the city has no less 18 lakh vehicles. "Of these, nearly 20,000 are very old vehicles which are now undr stricty scrutiny for fitness," Mr Murthy said. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, August 18, 2003, Page No. 15 |
|
| New device for
pollution checks For all those vehicle owners who have managed to hoodwink pollution checks there is still time to mend ways. The transport department is planning to set up a `remote sensory system` at busy road junctions that will check the pollution level of the vehicle, take its photograph and even cut a challan through a computerised central server. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, August 16, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Free smog-free
buses debut As a gesture toward reducing air pollution in Tokyo, a free eco-friendly bus service will debut on Aug. 22 in the heart of the metropolis. The service, which uses two buses equipped with a battery-powered hybrid engine, will connect Hibiya and the Otemachi business district, both in Chiyoda Ward. Because the service is free, no shortage of passengers is expected. According to Tokyo Electric Power Co., which is playing a central role in the project, the bus service was inspired by successful efforts by the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., to reduce air pollution. |
| Japan Times (Internet), Japan, August 16, 2003 |
|
| Going green The next time you come across a smoke belching gas guzzler on the roads that leaves you gasping for breath, think bio diesel. It`s the ultimate green solution for Motown fuel distilled out of the seeds of the Jatropha plant cultivated on wastelands. And it is entirely appropriate that an innovative bio-diesel project has brought together top names from the auto and oil sector to partner with the scientific community. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, August 15, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| SC notice to
six states, Centre on vehicular pollution The Supreme Court asked the Centre and six state governments to frame action plans for bringing down the level of vehicular pollution in seven cities. A bench headed by Chief Justice V.N. Khare asked them to submit the action plans to the Environment Protection Authority within two months. The bench passed the order after amicus curiae Harish Salve brought to its notice a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report that said the level of respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM) in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kanpur and Solapur was quite high. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 15, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
| `Electric car`
goes patriotic Patriotic Indians can now zip around in REVA, India`s first Electric Vehicle available in the tri-colours of the Indian flag. The REVA gives freedom from pollution, congestion, offers easy monoeuvarability, runs on battery, with the smallest turning radius and automatic transmission and gives you freedom from heavy maintenance. It boasts of the lowest running cost of 40 paise per kilometer! REVA Electric Car Company is a joint venture between the Maini Group India and Amerigon Electric Vehicle Technology (AEVT) of Irvindale, California USA. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, August 15, 2003, Page No. 9 |
|
| Fund proposed
for hydrogen fuel R&D The petroleum ministry has decided to constitute an India Hydrogen Corpus Fund, with contribution from all public sector oil units, to develop hydrogen as an automobile fuel. Indian Oil Corporation will be the nodal agency for the fund. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, August 15, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| GM and Daimler
yield to California clean-air law General Motors and daimlerChrysler were set to announce Tuesday that they werre dropping law-suits against the state of California over a landmark clean-air regulation that required the production of millions of low-emission cars and trucks over the next decade and a half. The move is a temporary but momentous environmental truce between the auto industry, which hs successfully blocked the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate that was set in motion in 1990, and california, which wields enormous influence oveer the global industry. |
| International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, August 13, 2003, Page No. 14 |
|
| Powered by
the Karanj tree Across the country, many such initiatives to use bio-diesel as a fuel are currently underway.In fact, such programmes are being seen as vital to supplement India`s growing need for fuel. Today, diesel accounts for nearly 80% of the fuel consumed in India. Last year, India imported 75 million tonnes of the fuel worth Rs 78,000 crore. Bio-diesel contains no diesel. it is oil extracted from plants(the Karanj tree in Karnataka, and sees of the Jatropha bush in Gujarat) which is filtered and refined to yield fuel. |
| Business World, Kolkata, August 13, 2003, Page No. 14 |
|
Big
Three Drop California Emission Lawsuit |
Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, August 13, 2003 |
|
| The air we
choke on It is no secret that adulterated petrol used by three wheelers are the major cause for increasing air pollution. According to a CEPT study, out of the 42,000 total registered rickshaws in Ahmedabad city, 67% were polluted beyond permissible limits and 45% ran on kerosene-mix levels. According to officials, daily about 15-20 rickshaws from different areas in the city are impounded during random checks and punished for flouting pollution rules. |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, 1supp, August 12, 2003 |
|
| Transport leads
in diesel use India`s transport sector continues to be the biggest consumer of diesel, leaving behind agriculture, power generation and industrial applications by a huge margin. It accounted for 59.8 per cent of the total consumption of the fuel during 2002-03, compared with 19.9 per cent by agriculture, 6.8 per cent by the power sector and sand metric tonnes of diesel in 2002-03 and 1,381 thousand metric tonnes in the previous year. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, August 12, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Al pitches for
CNG buses in Gujarat Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland is in an upbeat mood. The revision of growth target to 15 per cent says it all. A perked up Ashok Leyland is in parleys with the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation and assorted private players for the introduction of CNG powered buses in the land of Mahatma Gandhi. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, August 10, 2003 |
|
| LPG-operated
vehicles to be checked Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Qazi has directed the DCOs of all the districts of Sindh, Punjab to ensure that liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is not used in motorcars and rickshaws as its use in motor-vehicles is prohibited under the Production and Distribution Rules 2001. Through a letter, the CS has also asked the DCOs to further ensure that CNG conversion process is being undertaken only at the filling stations and workshops approved by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, August 11, 2003 |
|
| Zero pollution
vehicles are in CNG may be the rule of the road of public transport in the Capital now but we still have a long way to go before zero pollution vehicles become the order of the day. But, off the main roads there is scope of making our environment a little healthier than yesterday. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, sp3, August 09, 2003 |
|
| Emission norms
too stiff too soon Transporters protested against the manner in which the West Bengal state government was going about implementing the Euro-II or Bharat Stage-II emission standards for public buses and minibuses. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, sp1, August 08, 2003 |
|
| Pollution
awareness programme for lorry owners, drivers The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board organised an awareness programme on pollution and road safety for the members of the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Association and water tanker lorry drivers. |
| The Hindu, Chennai, August 06, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Harbinsons
to introduce bio-diesel Harbinsons Biotech Inc., a $400-million company, has laborate plans to introduce bio-diesel in India, Mr Vivek Sinha, the president of the US-based company, described the project as "a natural and simple alternative for energising India." With the approval of the planning commission, Habinsons Biotech has already initiated its plans and established its first manufacturing plant in Gurgaon, Haryana. Bio-diesel is an environment-friendly, biodegradable alternative energy resource. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, August 06, 2003, Page No.8 |
 |
| HC puts brakes
on old vehicles More than 20,000 trucks and buses that are 15 years and older can no longer ply on the city roads. The Bombay high court directed transport authorities to strictly abide by its October 2001 order to phase out old vehicles. |
| The Times of India, Mumbai, August 05, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| DaimlerChrysler,
CSIR tie-up for bio-diesel DaimlerChrysler India has joined hands with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to produce bio-diesel in India. Addressing newspersons, CSIR director general, R.A. Mashelkar said, ‘‘total cost of the project, scheduled for five years, would be euro 6,00,000, out of which the German government would fund euro 2,00,000, while the rest would be contributed by DaimlerChrysler AG.’’ The project will focus on trial operation with bio-diesel extracted from Jatropha plants which are cultivated on eroded soil. The idea behind the project was to demonstrate the feasibility of Jatropha bio-diesel in modern vehicles, Mashelkar said. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, August 05, 2003, Page No. 10 |
|
| Environmental
drive begins from today Owners of 1,500 smoke-emitting vehicles have been issued warning slips in Lahore (Pakistan) during the first phase of the campaign to check degradation of environment. Launched on July 21, the first phase of the campaign against smoke-emitting vehicles concluded. Fines will be imposed on vehicles in the second phase from Tuesday (5th Aug), followed by impounding of vehicles and cancellation of motor vehicle fitness certificates in the third phase. The second and third phases will continue indefinitely. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, August 04, 2003 |
|
| High court bans
10 year old passenger buses In a public interest litigation, the Uttaranchal High Court has banned the plying of both Roadways and private passenger buses that are 10 or more years old, with immediate effect. The orders were passed by the Court on 30 July. |
| Garhwal Post, Dehradun, August 03, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Vehicle
conversion case adjourned The issue of conversion of vehicles to Euro II technology figured in the Bombay High Court with the matter being adjourned till August 12. The registration of the old vehicles will be discontinued following the expiry of the time limit given by the Bombay High Court to the Heavy Vehicles Association for replacing their old engines with Euro II diesel engines on July 31. |
| The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, August 03, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Catch your
breath Delhi`s air pollution to go up: Despite various initiatives to bring down pollution levels in the Capital, experts say the level of pollution will continue to increase in the next two decades. The Centre for Science and Environment says though cleaner automobiles may be introduced in the years ahead, the sheer boom in the number of vehicles will ensure that high levels of pollution are maintained in the Capital. The CSE, which is involved in the drafting of the Master Plan 2021, has projected a bleak scenario for Delhi. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, August 03, 2003, Page No. 6 |
|
| Traffic police
gets cracking to tackle air pollution in A`bad The Ahmedabad Traffic Police (ATP) personnel, along with officials of the Forensic Science Laboratory, the district civil supplies department and the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) conducted a pollution test on autorickshaws in Ahmedabad city. Random examination of fuel being used by autorickshaws in the city proved that more than 80% run on fuel mixed with kerosene. Presene of kerosene, which causes pollution, was confirmed by FSL experts. |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, August 02, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Ethanol to be
labelled Motorists will be told exactly how much ethanol is in their petrol under national regulations that will come into effect by late October. Federal fair trading and state consumer affairs ministers meeting in Sydney agreed to enforce mandatory labelling at petrol stations selling ethanol-blended fuel. The Australian Automobile Association cautiously welcomed the move, but insisted that the labels should be comprehensive. Executive director Lauchlan McIntosh said he would like to see an existing Victorian label adopted for the national standard. |
| The Age (Internet), Australia, August 02, 2003 |
|
| Solar car sets
record The record for a US solar car race has been broken, with the Solar Miner 4 completing the 2,300-mile race in 52 hours – four hours ahead of the previous record in 2001. The University of Missouri solar car entrant crosses the finish line. Powered by sunshine alone, the University of Missouri-Rolla entrant cruised from Chicago to Los Angeles at approximately 43.3mph, beating the number two car by nearly five hours. Missouri-Rolla team member Kerry Poppa said: “We’re a little surprised by our time during this year’s race. We had a good car, a fast car, but we didn’t expect this. We’re all thrilled.” |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 01, 2003 |
|
| Fine keeps out
old heavy vehicles The deadline for 15-year-old heavy commercial vehicles to get off Mumbai roads officially expired on 31st July, 2003, but officials suggest that most of these vehicles have already vanished, since a daily penalty of Rs 500 for plying them on the roads was introduced in April. The Bombay High Court had directed 15-year-old heavy vehicles to be removed from the city or converted to clean fuels as part of a series of orders phasing out old, polluting vehicles. |
| The Times of India, Mumbai, August 01, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| European road
toll scheme proposed The European Commission has proposed a set of common principles to harmonise national systems of tolls and road use charges among European countries. The Commission said that member states were increasingly introducing forms of road toll, resulting in isolated national initiatives which could give rise to unequal and potentially unfair, treatment of different road users. The changes will allow member states the chance to charge tolls according to a number of factors including, distance travelled; damage caused to roads according to type of vehicle; environmental impact in terms of emission standards for heavy goods vehicles; time of day; and the level of congestion on the road. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, August 01, 2003 |
|
| Gasohol supply
in AP, Karnataka by mid-August The oil companies have issued letters of intent to procure anhydrous alcohol from distilleries in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for the manufacture of ethanol-blended petrol, gasohol. This has paved the way for the gasohol programme taking off by mid-August in these States, according to sources in the know. The programme is yet to take off in Tamil Nadu where issues relating to local levies need to be cleared, they said. Gasohol supply in all the markets in Karnataka and partially in Andhra Pradesh is expected to commence in mid-August when the formalities including board approvals and issue of purchase orders by oil companies are likely to be done. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, August 01, 2003, Page No. 21 |
|
| PCB wants old
cars banned In what has become a routine affair the Pollution Control board has decided to put a proposal before the Andhra Pradesh government once again, recommending phasing out of polluting four wheel vehicles which are aged above 15 years. |
| Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, July 31, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Hyderabad
choking: CPCB The Central Pollution Control Board has shattered the `clean and green` myth of Hyderabad. According to the latest data published by the CPCB, the city has "critical levels" of Respirable Suspended Particulate. And it`s not just metros which are gasping for breath. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, July 30, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Roadways buses
to run on CNG In Kanpur the Roadways buses are being prepared to be run on CNG. This was disclosed by the Transport Department. For this many fuel stations will be built. Firt of all the station will be installed in Agra to prevent Taj Mahal from pollution. |
| Dainik Jagran, Kanpur, July 29, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| Transport Dept
turns lights on emission testing centres, driving schools Driving schools and emission testing centres in Karnataka State that are flouting rules to make a fast buck will now have stay off the wrong side. For, they will soon come under the Transport Department’s scanner - those violating norms may even be asked to close down. "Emission testing centres and driving schools need to be examined and their quality upgraded," Transport Commissioner I.M. Vittal Murthy told. After a detailed discussion with Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) last weekend, Murthy directed them to examine driving schools and emission testing centres and report back within a month. |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1supp, July 29, 2003 |
|
| LNG-powered
vehicles soon Assam will soon witness Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)-powered vehicles plying on its roads. The pilot project for this mega Rs 10-crore project will start in September. Disclosing this during the release of a handbook on the performance of the Industries and Commerce Department during 2001-03, the Industries and Commerce Minister Mr Bhubaneswar Kalita said that an encouraging number of NRIs have come forward for investment. The NRIs and the Assam Gas Company and Oil India Limited have signed an agreement for supplying 15,000 tonnes of gas per annum. |
| The Sentinel, Guwahati, July 29, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Commission on
vehicular air pollution formed The Lahore High Court (Pakistan) constituted a six-member commission for presenting its findings to the court on measures to be adopted to control vehicular air pollution. While accepting a petition filed against the City District Government, the environment protection department and the Lahore DIG for having failed to take immediate steps to counter vehicular air pollution, Justice Sair Ali entrusted the newly-constituted commission with the responsibility of preparing a comprehensive report to be furnished with the court by Sept 30. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, July 29, 2003 |
|
| Euro
II-compliant buses adding to city`s pollution woes! The signal turns green and you are hit by yet another cloud of thick, black smoke belched out by an MTC bus. A regular experience on Chennai city roads. But the perpetrator might not be one of the ancient automobiles in the MTC fleet, but a Bharat Stage II (Euro II)-compliant bus introduced last year to contain pollution levels in the city! One of the reasons for these buses emitting levels of smoke exceeding 65 Hatridge units is the non-compatibility of the low sulphur diesel with the fuel injection pump in the engines of Bharat Stage II buses, according to the MTC officials. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, sp1, July 28, 2003 |
|
| Running out of
petrol? Don`t worry Like all educational campuses, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) too has its share of motorcycles screaming through the campus daily. As an established symbol of youth freedom, bikes have become an important component of campus life. However, BHU`s two-wheelers do not run on any ordinary fuel. They burn the "freedom fuel" - hydrogen. Five bikes, capable of touching 100 km, have been developed by the institute which is currently working on five more, anticipated to be ready in coming months. Among the non-BHU enthusiasts to have rode a hydrogen bike s secretary, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Ajai Vikram Singh. Mr Singh vouches for the new age bikes and hopes, "Indian companies will read the writing on the wall." |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, 5, July 25, 2003 |
|
| Price row
stalls `green fuel` in Andhra Pradesh The much hyped sale of `green fuel` (ethanol-mixed petrol) in Andhra Pradesh for cleaner environment has hit a road block with oil companies and the ethanol manufacturers locking horns over the price of the additive. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, 1, July 24, 2003 |
|
| Turning fumes
into fuel The Ford Morotr Company has found a way to transform toxic fumes into an environmentally- friendly potentially money-saving fuel. The ‘Fumes-to-Fuel’ technology, which turns used paint solvents into the feed stock for fuel cells, is ‘almost too good to be true’, said Jay Richardson, redevelopment manager at Ford’s Rouge Center in Detroit. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, July 24, 2003, Page No. 12 |
|
| 50 CNG stations
in city by Dec: Mosharraf The Bangladesh government has undertaken a Taka 616 crore project to augment the supply of gas in the Capital city to meet the growing demand for commercial, industrial and residential use, State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources A.K.M. Mosharraf Hossain has said. He has pointed out tha tat present 20 gas stations in the capital city are supplying CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) to around 16000 vehicles. |
| The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, July 23, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Government
planning to open 28 dispensing stations in city The Transport Department has authorised 13 centres in Chennai city to retrofit Liquefied Petroleum Gas kits in petrol driven vehicles, including cars and autorickshaws. Following a Supreme Court directive in May last year that all government authorities should prepare a scheme containing a time schedule for supply of CNG/LPG, various departments have begun the process of conversion to Auto LPG. As a demonstration of the fuel`s application, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has converted two of its cars to Auto LPG as part of its campaign against air pollution. www.hinduonnet.com |
| The Hindu, Chennai, July 23, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Auto sales
rev up fuel consumption An improvement in automobile sales has reflected in a healthy 6.1 per cent growth in consumption of transport fuels in June 2003. According to officials of oil companies, the jump in consumption of transport fuels petrol and diesel corresponds with improved auto sales. Petrol and diesel have both reported an increase of 13 per cent and 7.03 per cent respectively in June. In line with this growth, sales of automobile lubricants also jumped by 5.5 per cent. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, July 21, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| It’s
not just gas It’s good to see the government give the green signal for the development of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles that have zero-pollution capabilities. A high-powered committee is expected to draw up the blueprint for developing hydrogen as an alternative fuel in India. And it won’t be automobiles alone that will benefit. It’s amazing what this element can do, once its potential is harnessed. It increases energy security even as it reduces health impacts of pollution and addresses the long-term challenges of climate change by dramatically cutting down greenhouse gas emissions...editorial |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, July 21, 2003, Page No. 10 |
|
| Fuel
efficiency in Ford SUV`s falls Ford Motor`s sport-utility vehicles will be less fuel-efficient in the 2003. In 2002, Ford SUVs were 8.4% more efficient than the company`s vehicles in the 2000 model year, but this year, SUV`s are only 5.2% more efficient than those made in 2000. |
| The Asian Age, New Delhi, July 21, 2003, Page No. 8 |
|
| IGL
success is no gas On July 24, the Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) is likely to report a profit of around Rs 50 crore — a growth of 800 per cent than last year. And ‘‘good’’ is all that the company’s managing director has to say. But then, IGL officials have learnt to underplay achievements because of the bureaucratic roadblocks and ministerial pressures they run into. It is the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) that gave the company’s profit figure. A lot more needs to be done though. Sunita Narain, director of Centre of Science and Environment, says: ‘‘The CNG price hike was unjustified. And the expansion plans in the National Capital Region (NCR) came only after the Environment Protection and Control Authority asked them.’’ |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, July 20, 2003 |
|
| Slow start
to ethanol-blended petrol Ethanol blending in petrol, a move the oil ministry had said may save Rs 5,000 crore in import bills, is off to a slow start. More of a non-starter, in fact, with plans to start the process in nine states being put off twice now. The project was to start from 1 January. The new official date is 1 October. But officials say that may slip by as well. High production costs of ethanol and lack of interest on the part of state governments are the two principal reasons for the delay, officials say. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, July 20, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
| Experts
debunk hydrogen cars Two US energy experts cast more doubt on a push to develop hydrogen-powered cars as a means to cut air pollution and reduce oil imports. Cheaper and faster ways already exist to achieve the same effect, including raising fuel efficiency and toughening environmental standards, David Keith and Alexander Farrel, wrote in the issue of ‘Science’. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, July 20, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
| Why are
truckers so Worried? In August, there could be nearly 25,000 fewer trucks and buses polluting the city. That`s the same number not bringing in fruits and vegetables and groceries. As the Maharashtra state government gets serious about the July 31 court deadline for all heavy vehicles above 15 years of age to convert to compressed natural gas (CNG), the irony can`t be missed. |
| The Indian Express, Mumbai, sp3, July 19, 2003 |
|
| Air quality
index for Dhaka soon All preparations are set to launch an Air Quality Index (AQI) for Dhaka city to inform the people about air quality conditions and promote public awareness as well as action to reduce emissions. Director General of the Department of Environment (DOE) Dr. Omar Faruque Khan said DOE was now planning release of AQI thrice a week in cooperation with Bangladesh Meteorological Department. |
| The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, July 18, 2003, Page No. 16 |
|
| Corsa revs
up on alcohol The Brazilian automobile industry has unveiled cars that can run on both petrol and alcohol (extracted from sugar cane). Big car manufacturers have already started producing the so-called `Flex Fuel` engine, which makes it possible to use one or the other type of fuel or to even mix them. Both Fiat and Ford too are expected to roll out cars run by `Flex Fuel` engine. While Fiat will announce the debut of its `Palio 1.3` before the end of the year, Ford will launch `Fiesta 1.6`. The `Flex Fuel` technology is not entirely new. It was launched in the 1980`s in United States but its sales remained very limited. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, July 18, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Workshop on
cleaner technology organised The Kathmandu Electric Vehicle Alliance (KEVA) (Nepal) organised a workshop on electric vehilces, hybrids and other cleaner technologies. According to a press statement issued by KEVA, the workshop was aimed at finding viable alternatives like electric vehicles, which run on fules other then diesel, petrol or LPG. |
| The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 2, July 17, 2003 |
|
| Multi-faceted
actin plan to check fuel adulteration The Bangladesh government has adopted a multi-faceted action plan to check adulteration in fuel and fraudulence in its measurement, officials said. They said the plan was drawn up at meeting of the Energy and Mineral Resources Divison and Bangaldesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the State petroleum marketing company. |
| The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, 15, July 15, 2003 |
|
| State gets
tough with 15 yr old vehicles Issuing an ultimatum to the 15 year old vehicle owners to convert their vehicles into CNG based by the end of this month, Maharashtra state government warned that it would be forced to de-register them. And further force them out from the city limits if Mumbai High Court refused to extend the date for conversion to July 31. |
| The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, July 15, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Trains may
soon run on bio-diesel In a couple of years you could be travelling in a train that runs on derivatives of non-edible vegetable oils. The railways have successfully tested bio-fuel on the Shatabdi Express between New Delhi and Amritsar, while stationary locomotives are gearing up to run on the eco-friendly fuel. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, July 15, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Small,
deadly and diesel-driven The smaller the polluting particle, the more potent it is. And about 70 per cent pf the respirable suspended particulate matter in the Calcutta air is 3.3 microns or less. This is small enough to reach the innermost area areas of the lungs brochii and alveoli causing irreparable damage, says a survey. Till now, 10 microns or less has been the standard index of respirable air pollution. But a recent study carried out by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board and the environment department of Jadavpur university has lowered the micron count raised the danger level and pinned the pollution blame. A similar study by the Centre for Science & Environment that put the "death due to pollution" figure at 10,647 for the year 1995. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, sp1, July 14, 2003 |
|
| Sheila
mopped up awards, but not pollution: Sahib With Assembly elections round the corner, the BJP took a dig at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit claiming she had no role in making NCT of Delhi free of pollution. "Ms Dikshit may have received the Clean Cities International Award for 2003, conferred on NCT of Delhi by the US department of Energy, but she deserves only five per cent credit for the CNG initiative and reduction of pollution levels," Union Labour Minister and former chief minister of NCT of Delhi Sahib Singh Verma said. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, sp1, July 14, 2003 |
|
| Wooing
pvt cars: IGL steps up gas Private car owners can switch to CNG. The clean fuel that got Delhi an international award will soon be available without restrictions. After creating sufficient capacity for public transport buses, auto rickshaws, taxis and mini buses, the Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) plans to throw the door open for private cars. According to a survey conducted by IGL, there are at present around 10,480 private cars on CNG in Delhi. Though this is just 130 more than the number of cars in March 2002, there is tremendous potential in the market. IGL managing director A.K. Dey said: ‘‘The survey is encouraging. We would like to prepare a plan to increase our market share among private car owners.’’ |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, July 14, 2003 |
|
| Capital
gets IGL`s fifth CNG station The fifth mega pumping station of the Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) was inaugurated in the Capital on Sunday with much fanfare by Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ram Naik. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naik said that long queues of vehicles at the CNG filling stations have become a thing of history, and the IGL has great contribution in this because of its planning and timely execution of all the projects. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, July 14, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Capital
gains and southern stratagems With the Bengal government doing nothing to comply with Bharat Stage-II norms and clean the foul Calcutta air, it`s only fair to take a look at two metros that are well on the path to pollution free progress, Delhi and Bangalore. "The initial reluctance in implementing the court order had to do with a lack of government will and pressure from various transport lobbies," said Chandrachur Ghosh, assistant coordinator of the air pollution control unit of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 12, 2003, Page No. 17 |
|
| Bio fuels
can cut cost for India: report Like Brazil and the USA, India could be reducing its expenditure on petrol and diesel with increasing use of ethanol and bio diesel. A Planning Commission report presented to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, speaks about gradually introducing bio-fuels to save foreign exchange and also, bring down environmental pollution. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, July 12, 2003, Page No. 9 |
|
| Civic
brakes on progress path The West Bengal state transport department is not alone in slowing down the city`s drive towards a cleaner future, via the Bharat Stage-II route. It has an able ally in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation which say members of the committee assigned the task of suggesting remedies to clean up the Calcutta air is responsible for several speed breakers. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, sp1, July 11, 2003 |
|
| Combined
transport could slash CO2 emissions Carbon dioxide emissions from freight could be cut by 40% or more if combined road-rail transport of freight in Europe was doubled within ten years. This is the result of a study by industry lobby group, the International Union of Road Rail Companies (UIRR), for the European Commission. The UIRR is using the study to promote a shift of more freight from road to rail, an important instrument in reducing CO2 emissions, they say. The report claims that use of combined transport instead of road alone currently results in a reduction of 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 a year. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, July 11, 2003 |
|
| Two for
sorrow on speed route If the West Bengal government`s report card shows that out of 14 in its attempt to get engines complaint with Bharat Stage-II hitting the streets, the process report vis a vis traffic management is even more murky. Traffic management is another integral part of making the city clean and green. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 10, 2003, Page No.17 |
|
| What
you`ll be driving in a green tomorrow An early glimpse of the 21st century automobile came not from Henry Ford or a formula one pit lane, but from the pen of Jules Verne. "The energy of tomorrow is water broken down into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity," he wrote in The Mysterious Island in 1874. "These elements will secure the earth`s power supply for an indefinite period." After more than a century of the internal combustion engine, car manufacturers are now ploughing billions into developing alternative fuel technologies to reduce depen dence on finite oil supplies. The most promising contenders borrow from Verne`s vision, using hydrogen fuel cells - a technology discovered in 1839 - to turn the wheels and leave nothing but water vapour in their wake. |
| The Guardian (Internet), UK, July 10, 2003 |
|
| Renewable
hydrogen production gets cleaner Scientists have developed a hydrogen making catalyst that uses cheaper materials and yields much fewer contaminants than do the current processes, while extracting the element from common renewable plant sources. Further, the new catalyst lies at the heart of a chemical process the authors say is a significant advance in producing alternate fuels from domestic sources. www.hindugrouponnet.com & www.hinduonnet.com |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, July 10, 2003, Page No.14 |
|
| Govt gets
tough on gas pumps The recent case in which two petrol pumps were caught selling adulterated fuel by the Delhi Food and Civil Supplies (FCS) department has exposed the ease with which fake products can be passed off to the unsuspecting public.The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had done an independent study on fuel testing last year only to discover various loopholes even in the laboratory testing methods used for inspecting the samples. Mixing kerosene to petrol and diesel can increase the amount of sulphur which causes more pollution. This is very common in autos and taxis," Sunita Narain from CSE said. Such steps also nullify any positive effects of green fuels like CNG. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, July 10, 2003 Page No. 4 |
|
| India gets
ambitious on `freedom fuel` Ever heard of hydrogen based motorcycles, generators and cooking stoves? India is all set to prepare a hydrogen energy roadmap to find out how such breakthrough technologies can be taken out of research laboratories to the common man. Also known as "freedom fuel", hydrogen is being looked at as an environment friendly fuel for transportation and production of power not only in India but also in developed countries such as the USA, Japan and Canada and in Europe. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, July 09, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Kick them
out Old is gold, or so it seems. And in a country where politicians refuse to retire, the view cannot be reversed. So is the latest effort to banish old vehicles from Bangalore city`s streets. Instead of quickly phasing them out, the government continues its flip flop on the issue. Last week, yet again, the government backtracked on the issue of banning 20-year-old commercial vehicles from plying within the city...editorial |
| The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 4supp, July 08, 2003 |
|
| Six year
stall on smokestreet Contrary to the position taken by the West Bengal state transport minister Subhas Chakraborty that it is impossible to implement Bharat Stage-II norms for auto emission rules in "just 10 months" the government knew for the past six years which way the foul fumes were blowing, officials admitted. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 08, 2003, Page No. 19 |
| Diesel
fumes raise Canadians` cancer risk Canadians face high cancer and non-cancer health risks from exposure to diesel exhaust particles, with some children and those in highly exposed occupations especially vulnerable, warns a report released by the Sierra Club of Canada. The study, called The Public Health Impact of Diesel Particulate Matter, shows as many as 13,600 Canadians will develop cancer over their lifetimes because of exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM). "All Canadians intuitively know diesel exhaust is bad," said Jacqueline Sharp, the report`s author. "It`s incredibly damaging to human health. We`re showing just how dangerous it really is." |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, July 08, 2003 |
|
| EPA probes
Massachusetts over car pollution The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating whether Massachusetts misled the federal government over its efforts to curb pollution from cars, the Boston Globe reported. Citing internal state documents obtained by the newspaper, the Globe said the state never told the federal government that its test, instituted in 1999, failed to measure two key tailpipe gases and that state officials in 2001 adjusted the test and reams of data without alerting Washington. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, July 08, 2003 |
|
| Air quality
experts in Delhi A delegation of Indonesian air quality professionals arrived in New Delhi to study Delhi`s success in air pollution mitigation, particularly the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme implementation. The eight member team includes representatives from the "Partnership for Clean Air", an NGO, the Indonesian Ministries of Environment, Transport and Communication, Energy and Mineral Resources, the Environment Department of Jakarta, and key individuals from private sectors, a U.S. Embassy press release said. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, July 08, 2003, Page No. 5 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Subhas
steers smoke engine Pushed to the wall by the April 2004 deadline set by Calcutta High Court in implementing Bharat Stage-II auto emission levels, state transport minister Subhas Chakraborty advocated the transport lobbies arguments in pushing back the changeover as far as possible. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, 17, July 07, 2003, Page No.17 |
|
| Sale of
LPG as fuel yet to catch up in Chennai Business at Chennai`s three outlets selling liquefied petroleum gas as fuel for automobiles is not as good as what the oil majors Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum had expected. In fact, it`s now very low. "The sale when compared to the investment is not good," says M Chandran, Territory Manager, Bharat Petroleum. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, sp1, July 07, 2003 |
|
| Naik to
convene CMs’ meet on sops for ethanol-doped petrol Petroleum minister Mr Ram Naik is expected soon to convene a meeting of state chief ministers to address various issues relating to ethanol-doped petrol introduced earlier this year. One of the most important of these is the issue of fiscal concession to be given to companies for manufacturing the environmental fuel, industry sources say. Others include, simplifying excise procedures and removal of physical barriers to unrestricted inter-state movement of the product. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, July 07, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Transporter
push to push back Bharat II deadline Taking a cue from the West Bengal state government, the transport lobby decided to petition Calcutta High Court seeking more time to implement the court order on the implementation of Bharat Stage II norms by next April. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 06, 2003, Page No. 9 |
|
| Subhas
seeks time on Euro II West Bengal Transport Minister Mr Subhas Chakraborty said his department would seek more time from the court on the issue of conversion of old vehicles to Euro II, which is pollution free. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, spI, July 05, 2003 |
|
| Bengal throws
up hands on pollution The West Bengal state government said it would petition Calcutta High court for more time to implement the court`s order to introduce Bharat Stage-II norms for motor vehicles to arrest pollution in the city and adjoining areas. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 05, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Cheaper fuel
cell systems on the cards Fuel cell systems can be made to work using far less platinum or gold than previously thought, a discovery that could considerably cut the cost of the futuristic technology researchers said yesterday.Touted as a replacement for the internal combustion engine and one of the most important power sources of the 21st century, fuel cells create electricity with little pollution by combining hydrogen and oxygen. |
| Business Standard, New Delhi, July 05, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Bumpy ride for
CP’s eco-friendly autos When the NDMC started its ‘Bijlee’ service on January 1 this year (in partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra), it hoped that within six months, the number of these electric three-wheelers would increase and benefit two-wheeler drivers plying in CP’s Inner Circle. However, with a crunch in parking space and the automobile major saying that the project has to be ‘economically viable’ before they increase the fleet of four, Bijlee passengers will have to wait for the frequent services. ‘‘When we began the service, there were plans to increase the frequency of the electric autos. But in the past six months, we are not even covering operational costs. We will think of increasing the number only if we are given better facilities,’’ said a spokesperson for Mahindra Eco Mobiles. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, 4supp, July 05, 2003 |
|
| Six
excuses for foul fumes Saviour Six or Sabotage Six? What the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee governemnt is touting as "an alternative proposal" to chekc auto emission without having to implement the Calcutta High Court order on introducing Bharat Stage-II (BS-II0 norms by next April, can be viewed through the smokescreen as a charter to slow down the clean-air drive.Official said on Thursday the government reckoned the alternative proposal, if approved by the court, would enable it to bypass the Bharat Stage-II diktat, which requires large-scale replacement of engines of old cars. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, 17, July 04, 2003, Page No. 17 |
|
| Buddha
runs from pollution deadline Pitted against the clock, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee`s government plans to petition Calcutta High Court for more time to implement the court`s order to introduce Bharat Stage-IInorms for motor vehicles to check pollution. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 03, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Move to ban
`above-15` commercial vehicles The Bihar State Government, at the behest of the Supreme Court, has prepared an action to check air pollution in Patna. Only those commercial vehicles that are less than 15-year-old will be allowed to ply in Patna beyond April 1, 2004. The owners of old vehicles will, however, be allowed one-year time to convert the engines to suit the changed norms. |
| The Hindustan Times, Patna, July 03, 2003, Page No. 2 |
|
| Yamaha to
develop methanol fuel cell for motorcycles Japan`s Yamaha Motor said it plans to develop the world`s first environmentally-friendly methanol fuel cell for small motorcycles. "We are now collecting data from ongoing trials of fuel cell powered motorcyle," said Kunihiko Nakajima, managing director of the world`s second largest motorbike maker. |
| The Economic Times, New Delhi, July 03, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Novel method to
store hydrogen Hydrogen is available in abundance in the form of water, its energy to weight ratio is three times that of liquid hydrocarbons and its combustion leads to a harmless byproduct water. Because of its extremely low density, it is difficult to store sufficiently large amounts of hydrogen in a small volume. Another alternative, adopted by car makers like aimler Benz, who have been developing fuel cell powered automobiles is to exact hydrogen from liquid hydrocarbons using on board reformers and channel the hydrogen into fuel cell stacks to generate electric power for moving the vehicle. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, July 03, 2003, Page No. 16 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Govt restricts
CNG minibus In an attempt to regulate and discipline traffic, the Delhi government has decided to restrict the use of 15-seater CNG minibuses. The state has stopped registering new CNG minibuses for private operators. The state transport ministry is working out a formula to limit the number of minibuses to registered in Delhi, government sources said. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, July 03, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Ethanol blended
petrol by September The government extended the period for complete introduction of ethanol blended petrol in select states by three months following the expansion of manufacturing capacities in various regions. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, July 03, 2003, Page No. 11 |
|
| Unauthorised
vehicles throw pollution norms to the wind Thanks to the indifferent attitude of the Panipat District Transport Office and the Pollution Control Department, citizens of the district are forced to inhale polluted air and poisonous gases emitted by unauthorised and outdated vehicles plying on roads, including three wheelers, maxicabs, trucks and tractor trolleys. As a result, there has been an abnormal increase in lung ailments like cold, bronchitis, asthma and tuberculosis. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, sp2, July 03, 2003 |
|
| Government has
no money to buy new vehicles Unable to fund replacement of 15 year old government vehicles to curb vehicular emissions, the Cabinet sub committee on pollution has suggested implementation of R A Mashelkar Committee report on Auto Fuel Policy which was submitted to the Centre about a year ago. Though the Andhra Pradesh state government decided to scrap all vehicles acquired 15 years ago, it wanted to make a beginning with its own fleet. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, July 02, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| DTC to analyse
poor showing by CNG bus fleet Delhi government has asked the Delhi Transport Corporation(DTC) to take up the issue of poor performance of CNG buses with the companies who were given the contract to manufacture these vehicles. In a meeting which took place recently, the depot managers had complained to the government that these manufacturers had not been attending to the complaints they had filed even though the buses were within warranty period. ‘‘A large number of CNG buses had developed engine problems and the manufacturers should be asked to replace the faulty engines, instead of replacing the engine-heads or piston rings,’’ said a DTC official. |
| The Times of India, New Delhi, July 02, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Deadline for
gasohol programme extended till September 30 The Government extended by three months to September 30 this year the deadline for completion of the programme to blend 5 per cent ethanol in petrol in nine notified states and four union territories. A meeting of the concerned chief ministers and administrators of the union territories has been convened on July 11 to remove bottlenecks for the smooth implementation of the programme in the remaining parts of the country. Speaking to reporters, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said the extension was necessitated by delays in production infrastructure for anhydrous ethanol, which resulted in inadequate ethanol supplies. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, July 02, 2003, Page No. 13 |
|
| Hold your
breath or die! Despite emission tests being made mandatory, apathetic citizens, corruption and deforestation make pollution control difficult. Diesel vehicles emit the worst small particle pollutants. Many two stroke vehicles, buses, trucks and three wheelers can`t pass the emission control tests. They contribute 70% of hydrocarbons, 40% of carbon monoxide and much of the particulate pollution to the atmosphere! The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in their study on air pollution in Delhi revealed statistics that can probably numb any one into a coma! An average of 10,000 people die every year of air pollution and 52,000 across other states in the country. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, sp1, July 02, 2003 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Reva working on
high-end battery technology Reva Electric Car Company (RECC), one of the pioneers of EV technology in India, is working on developing high-end battery technologies and fast charging technologies to enable the cars to cover longer distances and charge much faster. Reva Electric Car Company’s plan to introduce bigger vehicles covering longer distances hinges a lot on these new technologies. Currently, Reva EV has a mileage of 80 km per charge and is suitable only for city driving. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, July 02, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Ban on use of
LPG in vehicles assailed The Human Rights Association of India has strongly criticised the decision of the regional transport officer (RTO) in Kanpur to impound vehicles driven by LPG and to cancel their registration and impose fines on the owners. The RTO has justified the ban on the ground that there was every possibility of the LPG cylinder bursting resulting in loss of precious lives. |
| The Pioneer, Lucknow, 3supp, July 01, 2003 |
|
| Carcinogenic
benzene levels highest at rush hour To breathe air containing less carcinogenic benzene, stop smoking and leave the car at home. That advice has emerged from the first in a series of Europe wide air quality studies, the results of which were released today. The research focused on 125 volunteers who carried special sensors in Brussels to monitor their levels of exposure to benzene, a carcinogenic substance produced by vehicle traffic and tobacco smoking. European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and Didier Gosuin, Environment Minister of the Brussels-Capital Region announced the study`s findings in Brussels today. Busquin said, "The knowledge gained by this important research will help us to shape our decisions on traffic and transport issues and encourage people to make healthier lifestyle choices.” |
| Environment News Service, US, June 30, 2003 |
|
| Vikram
operators conduct Yagya The Vikram operators of Doon, claiming to be undergoing harassment, conducted a `Budhi-Shudhi Yagya` in front of the Vidhan Sabha for putting an end to the rampant corruption prevalent in Uttaranchal state. Members of the Vikram Tempo Mahasangh, present, also shouted anti-government slogans on the occasion and conducted a dharna at the spot. They later presented a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to his Personal Secretary. Despite the fact that the vikram owners had complied with the orders of the RTO on fitting pollution control instruments on their vehicles, the Department was still putting pressure on the vikram owners to replace their old vikrams. This, despite the fact, claimed vikram owners, that pollution had come down to zero levels. |
| Garhwal Post, Dehradun, June 29, 2003, Page No. 8 |
|
| Shortcut to
Bharat II proposed Private bus operators on June 28 worked out a proposal for converting old vehicles to conform to Bharat Stage II norms. The move follows a Calcutta High Court directive that a new method be adopted to improve the engines of old vehicles. |
| The Telegraph, Calcutta, June 29, 2003, Page No. 9 |
|
| Electric
Vehicles - a great alternative for India Electric Vehicles are gearless, clutchless and do not emit any fo the life threatening pollutants that main stream automobiles emit. Since they are electrically run. EV`s offer high levels of reliability and minimal maintenance and service costs. EV`s are six times cheaper to operate than petrol driven cars. Pollution problems in India are unique in nature and they are growing at an alarming rate. To counteract this we need to make jumps in how we control pollution. CSE India claims that, "Environmental pollution in India results in a quarter of children deaths. In Delhi, Air Pollution causes one death every hour". With the help of Electric vehicles soaring pollution levels would catapult down by 33000 tonnes, because an average car in Idn aemits 4g/km of CO and 2g/km of NOX and Hydrocarbons. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 2supp, June 27, 2003 |
|
| More wait for
green fuel Petroleum Ministery`s plan to introduce ethanol-blended petrol early this year has run into rough weather. Despite the notification to mandate the use of biofuel by January this year, the environmentally-benign fuel is yet to be filled in fuel tanks. The reason for the delay is poor capacity of ethanol production, which is produced from sugarcane molasses. State governments are also doing their bit to lay hurdles by subjecting the nascent industry to heavy taxation. |
| The Pioneer, New Delhi, June 27, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| Man held for
selling adulterated petrol One person has been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police for allegedly selling adulterated petroleum product from his hideout at Moti Nagar in West Delhi. The police have recovered at least 1,700 litres of the adulterated product. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, June 27, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
EU
lawmakers agree climate emissions trading scheme |
Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, June 26, 2003 |
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| Environmental
impact report for cars Toyota Motor Corp. plans to introduce a new system designed to dramatically shorten the time required to evaluate the environmental impact of all new car models developed from 2005 on. It now takes one to two months for the leading automaker to calculate the environmental impact of its vehicles, but the new system will cut that do two to three days. |
| The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, June 23, 2003, Page No. 21 |
|
A'bad headed the Delhi way in vehicle pollution |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, June 21, 2003 |
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Trucks
from outside Delhi allowed in despite SC ban` |
The Statesman, New Delhi, June 21, 2003 |
|
Govt.
in reverse gear over ban on old transport vehicles |
The New Indian Express, Bangalore, June 20, 2003 |
|
Air
pollution in twin cities high, says report |
The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, June 20, 2003 |
|
| Shell opens
hydrogen station for Tokyo motorists Showa Shell Sekiyu KK has opened the first hydrogen station in Tokyo, part of a worldwide push to supply fuel cell powered vehicles. Showa Shell, 50 percent owned by Royal Dutch/Shell, opened the station in the central Tokyo Odaiba district, the energy giant`s Shell Hydrogen unit said in a statement. Shell opened its first hydrogen station in Iceland in April and plans to start selling hydrogen at a Washington DC gas station later this year. Fuel oil cell vehicles use electricity produced from compressed hydrogen, cutting out emissions of the greenhouse gases that are blamed for global warming. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, June 20, 2003 |
|
| Gail taps Bajaj
Auto, L&T, Maruti, Tatas,others for CNG consortium Gail India Limited has initiated talks with leading corporates including Bajaj Auto, Larsen and Toubro, Maruti Udyog and the Tatas to jointly tap CNG business opportunities abroad under the umbrella of an ‘India CNG consortium (ICC)’. This consortium will offer ‘total solution packages’ to gas rich countries keen to create a CNG (compressed natural gas) infrastructure. Gail has already written to Rahul Bajaj, chairman and managing director, Bajaj Auto; AM Naik, CEO and managing director, L&T; Shyamal Gupta, director, Tata Sons and Jagdish Khattar, managing director, Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL). |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, June 20, 2003, Page No. 1 |
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| Steps ordered
against illegal CNG stations Sindh (Pakistan) Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkal Kazi has asked all the DCOs in districts and City District Government to ensure that CNG conversion work is carried out only by authorized licensed CNG stations. He directed that action be taken against all those unauthorized persons who are carrying CNG conversion and have set up their business on roadsides without permission. In a communication to DCOs he said, a reference has been made to a directive of cabinet division which states that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) is regulating the CNG/LPG activities under OGRA Ordinance 2002 throughout the country so that security of life and property of the people is ensured. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, June 19, 2003 |
|
| Hydrogen fuel
could widen ozone hole A hydrogen economy could create bigger, longerlasting ozone holes over the poles, a new study claims. If hydrogen catches on as a non polluting fuel for energy production, leaks from its production and transport could increase the amount of the gas in the atmosphere. This change would worsen ozone depletion, calculate Yuk Yung and co-workers at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, June 19, 2003, Page No. 16 & www.hinduonnet.com |
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| Ford promises
better show Ford Motor Co. held a mostly upbeat shareholders meeting, saying it was on track with its profits and new vehicles as it capped a gala, five-day celebration of its 100th anniversary. Environmental groups had vowed to make Ford`s record on fuel economy and greenhouse gases an issue at the meeting, but environmetalists wound up offering divergent opinions on Ford`s efforts. One group praised Ford`s efforts to cut emissions from factories, while another called on the automaker to raise the average fuel economy of its vehicles to 40 miles per gallon by 2013. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, June 18, 2003, Page No. 9 |
|
| Asia’s
dirty skies take a high toll Air pollution kills almost half a million Asians every year as vehicles that would be banned in Europe or North America clog cities, factory owners ignore pollution control measures that have long been standard in developed countries, and governments fail to enforce laws to prevent bad air. As Asia’s cities continue to expand and vehicles multiply, the need for action increases. The Indian Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that the government had not done enough to reduce the pollution caused by thousands of diesel buses and three wheeled rickshaws. The court forced the government to take action. Today, New Delhi has the highest number of natural gas-powered vehicles in any Asian city and air pollution levels have fallen considerably. |
| International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, June 17, 2003, Page No. 8 |
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| Hydrogen
supply system to run on city gas to keep costs down Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. , Japan, has begun developing a hydrogen supply system that promises to help popularize fuel cell vehicles. IHI is working on a system that passes city gas through a palladium alloy membrane to extract hydrogen. |
| The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, June 16, 2003, Page No. 12 |
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| Trans-Atlantic
fuel cell development pact signed The United States and the European Union signed a cooperation agreement to develop fuel cell technology. The seven point plan, brokered by European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and the U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, aims to strengthen research by bringing together European and U.S. researchers from public and private sectors. Key challenges for fuel cells to become commercially competitive are cost reduction, improved performance and durability. In a keynote address to the European Commission`s Conference of the High Level Group on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies, Secretary Abraham called on EU member countries to participate in a conference this fall to formally establish the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy. |
| Environment News Service, US, June 16, 2003 |
|
| Gail in talks
for developing CNG infrastructure Gail India Limited is in talks with the Philippines National Oil Company (PNOC) for development of CNG (compressed natural gas) infrastructure and corresponding retailing facilities in the Philippines. Alongside, Gail has also evinced interest to participate in two fast rack gas pipeline projects being developed by PNOC in the Philippines. A memorandum of co-operation may be signed shortly between Gail and the department of energy, the Philippines for working together in the areas of CNG infrastructure development and gas pipelines. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, June 16, 2003, Page No. 14 |
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| Ford showcases
new eco-friendly assembly plant The Chairman and Chief Executive, Mr Bill Ford Jr, visited grimy Detroit-area suburb to show off the modern, environmentally friendly assembly plant that will open here next year, when it fires up production of the all-new F-150 pickup truck. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, June 14, 2003, Page No. 3 |
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| Government
challenge to design a ‘green’ family car Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport (UK), has challenged car makers to design and build a new, affordable, ultra-low carbon family car – in exchange for a £10 million prize. Although commercial development has started on a new generation of fuel efficient cars – hydrogen powered, for example - these are likely to be 15 to 20 years from production. In the meantime, funded by the DfTs New Vehicle Technology Fund, a new project called the Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge, has been set up. This challenges the motor industry to submit proposals for a new car, which must be: a full size family car; affordable and capable of being mass produced within four to eight years; have tail pipe CO2 emissions of less than 90 grams per kilometre; fuel efficient and travel around 1,000 miles between refills, with a 12 gallon tank; capable of doing 80 miles per gallon or more, compared to today’s average of 36 mpg. |
| Edie (Internet), UK, June 13, 2003 |
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| `Clean`
hydrogen fuel cells could cause pollution problems While hydrogen is touted as a clean fuel waiting to replace fossil energy sources, a new study concludes its widespread use could increase damage to the ozone layer that protects Earth from ultraviolet radiation. The report in Science magazine says such trade-offs shouldn`t prevent development of hydrogen fuel cells, but they should be taken into account when considering what measures might be needed to limit any environmental downside of a hydrogen-fuel economy. |
| The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, June 13, 2003, Page No. 5 |
|
| Rapeseed demand
seen up on biodiesel use German sales of biodiesel made from rapeseed oil are again expected to jump this year, but there are increasing concerns about where the industry will get supplies in a tight rapeseed market. There are calls for German farmers to plant more rapeseed, failing which the industry`s rapid expansion could benefit foreign suppliers. A large purchase of Canadian rapeseed oil has already been made this year for German biofuel production. |
| Business Line, New Delhi, June 13, 2003, Page No. 12 |
|
| Petro ministry
pushes auto fuel policy The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has decided to step on the gas for the Mashelkar Committee report and on the recommendations of the report for a comprehensive auto fuel policy. The petroleum ministry has sent a detailed note to the finance ministry seeking its inputs for the final Cabinet note. The petroleum ministry has also put forward a note to the finance ministry which contains a gist of the proposals which are expected to be put up to the Cabinet. |
| The Indian Express, New Delhi, June 13, 2003, Page No. 11 |
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| Need for more
incentives for CNG users Speakers at a seminar held here in connection with World Environment Day have underlined the need for more concessions and incentives for CNG users, including reduction in its price, so that conversion of vehicles to CNG could be expedited. The seminar, titled “Role of CNG in Clean and Green Pakistan”, organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health, to mark the World Environment Day, was attended by stakeholders, prominent from cross section of the society, representatives of non-government organisations working for safeguard of natural environment. |
| The Nation (Internet), Pakistan, June 13, 2003 |
|
| MTC will soon
go in for 100 p.c. emission free buses, says minister The Tamil Nadu state government is considering passing appropriate legislation to ensure that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) goes in for a 100 per cent emission free vehicle fleet, Transport Minister R Vishwanathan said. |
| The New Indian Express, Chennai, sp1, June 12, 2003 |
|
| Variable
geometry turbocharges for diesel cars Fuel economy and environmental considerations have influenced penetration of diesel cars in European markets. The primary requirement for the choice of a diesel engine to a passenger car is the reduction of weight of the engine without affecting the performance in terms of torque, power and drivability with sufficient acceleration, not to speak of measures to realise quietness comparable to petrol driven cars. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, 16, June 12, 2003 & www.hinduonnet.com |
|
| Live on the
rocks, but not next to a busy street The number of cars and trucks that pass by your house could put you at a higher risk of getting cancer from inhaling the higher levels of carcinogens, says a new study. The study is being done by Timothy Buckley and his student Amir Sapkota at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Assessing a community`s cancer risk could be as simple as counting the number of trucks and cars that pass through the neighbourhood. |
| The Statesman, New Delhi, sp1, June 11, 2003 |
|
| Hino raises
ambitions for U.S. truck market Hino Motors Ltd., a Japanese truck maker half -owned by 'Toyota Motor Corp., said that it was aiming for a 10 percent share of the midsize truck market in the United States by 2010, hoping to lure customers with low-emission engines and improved fuel economy. Hino expects diesel emission regulations in the United States to be more stringent than in Japan by 2007, giving the company a chance to expand its market share by offering fuel-efficient trucks that are reliable and easy to maintain, said the Hino president Taddaaki Jagawa. |
| International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, B2, June 10, 2003 |
|
| Traffic, not
industry, polluting city: PCB Air and water pollution continues to be major cause of concern for residents. Despite the authorities claiming to take several measures to control pollution, Faridabad remaines one of the 10 most polluted cities of the country. Lack of proper awareness and mass involvement are being cited as a few of the reasons responsible for the existing situation. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, sp2, June 10, 2003 |
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| Delhi`s clean
air Delhi has bagged the United States Department of Energy`s first Clean Cities International Partner of the Year award. The award was given for the city`s bold efforts to curb air pollution and support alternative fuel initiatives. A combination of factors and initiatives have contributed to the success of the campaign. The Supreme Court of India deserves a special word of praise for nudging a diffident Delhi Government into action. The late Anil Aggarwal and his Centre for Science and Environment also kept the heat on.......Editorial |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, June 09, 2003, Page No. 10 |
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| Fuel cell cars By the year 2050, Ford Motor expects nearly half the cars it sells will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Fifty years after that, some Ford officials muse, the company might be making high-speed trains for commuters tired of traffic. They expect one thing won`t change: Ford`s commitment to an inexpensive, reliable vehicle for the common person. |
| The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, June 08, 2003, Page No. 19 |
|
| Plan to boost
bio-alternative to diesel After introducing ethanol blended petrol in selected States, the Centre has now drawn up a Rs 1,430 crore plan to make use of oil from the seeds of the jatropha plant as a bio alternative to diesel. The plan, which is to be implemented with the mission mode approach, is expected to generate six lakh tonnes of diesel quality oil valued at Rs 1,020 crores per annum at the end of a gestation period of four years. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, June 08, 2003, Page No. 8 & www.hinduonnet.com |
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| AP government
shelves move to phase out old vehicles Andhra Pradesh government's proposal to phase out old vehicles from city roads and introduce 'green tax' to check ever increasing pollution levels has been shelved following 'resistance from public'. 'We wanted to introduce some drastic measures to control vehicular pollution but because of several socio-economic factors they had to be withdrawn', sources in the state transport department said. |
| The Financial Express, New Delhi, June 08, 2003, Page No. 4 |
|
| Death in the
air Ahmedabad city covers around 190.94 sq km area with a population of around 45 lakh. As per the figures of Regional Transport Office (RTO) till November 2002 there are approximately 14 lakh vehicles in the Ahmedabad district and of which around 10 lakh vehicles are moving with the city limits. Here the roads are blessed with two-wheelers numbering to 7,28,000 and auto-rickshaws numbering of 41,000 and the numbers are multi-plying by the day.According to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) out of the main sources of air pollution, vehicles contribute most to the pollution. |
| The Times of India, Ahmedabad, 1sp, June 06, 2003 |
|
| Lab to test the
air As public concern for global environs continues to rise, days such as the World Environment Day acquire growing importance. If only for a day, thoughts turn to the continuous torture inflicted on nature. But for a day, there is talk of healing these wounds and promises to leave a brighter world for the generations to come. Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee inaugurated a mobile air quality monitoring laboratory at the West Bengal Pollution Control Board. The unit will be used to monitor air quality at traffic intersections and in areas not covered by the fixed air quality monitoring network. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, sp1, June 06, 2003 |
|
| Electric cars
with an eco message With the Bangalore Commercial Association deciding to keep their stretch `pollution free` on the occassion of World Environment Day, bicycles and electric cars ran the show on the street. Though biled as a environmental consciousness measure, the show turned out to be more of an adverstisement for Reva Electric Car Company. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, June 06, 2003, Page No. 1 |
|
| Government
shelves proposal to phase out old vehicles The Andhra Pradesh state government`s much hyped proposal to phase out old vehicles from city roads and introduce `green tax` to check the ever increasing pollution levels has been shelved following `resistance from public`. |
| Newstime, Hyderabad, June 06, 2003 Page No. 3 |
|
| Children
lauded for efforts to end pollution The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit lauded the efforts put in by the school children for waging a decisive battle against the menace of pollution in the Capital and said that without their participation it would not have been possible to achieve so much success in such a short time. Speaking at a function to celebrate World Environment Day, she said her Government was ready to put in any effort possible to further the cause of environment protection in the city and appealed to the citizens of the capital to come forward and supplement the efforts of the Government and NGOs. She also released two publications, "Greening Delhi Action Plan-2003-04" and "Towards Cleaner Air: A Case study of Delhi". |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, June 06, 2003, Page No. 3 |
|
| Senate rejects
escape valve for US ethanol use The Senate refused to give states an escape valve from a proposed requirement to use more ethanol, the third lopsided vote in two days against watering down a so-called renewable fuels standard. Under it, ethanol and other renewable fuels would be assured of a 5 billion-gallon (22.73 billion liter) share of the U.S. fuel market by 2012. The target is more than twice as large as last year`s output of 2.13 billion gallons (9.68 billion liters).On a 58-37 rollcall, senators defeated an amendment by New Mexico Democrat Jeff Bingaman to allow suspension of the mandate if disruptions in the fuel supply would result in gasoline price increases of 10 cents a gallon or more. Distilled from corn, ethanol is clean-burning fuel additive. |
| Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, June 06, 2003 |
|
| Toyota could
wheel out large gas -electric pickup as part of hybrid strategy Toyota could wheel out large gas-electric version of its next-generation Tundra large pickup truck, a company official said. Toyota President Fujio Cho has said the world's third -biggest auto maker hopes by mid-decade to sell 300000 hybrids a year world-wide, most of them in the U.S. To fulful that goal, Toyota has unveiled a hybrid version of the RX330 sport utility vehicle, which is expected to hit showrooms in the U.S. next year. Toyota began selling a small hybrid sedan, the Prius, in 2000. The redesigned Pirus is expected to be launched later this year as a 2004 model-year car. |
| The Asian Wall Street Journal, Hong Kong, A6, June 05, 2003 |
|
| HC order on
vehicles to be advertised The West Bengal state government has decided to advertise the order of the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court of 4 April in newspapers to ensure that all vehicles plying in Kolkata Metropolitan Area conform to Bharat Stage-II emission standards "within a year from this date. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, June 05, 2003 Page 7 |
|
| Incentives
sought for CNG users: Seminar on environment Participants at a seminar, called for concessions and incentives for CNG users, including reduction in its price, so that conversion of vehicles to CNG could be expedited. They said conversion of vehicle, specially, of public transport vehicles, to CNG, would help ensure clean and healthy environment for the people, while adding that improved environment would attract foreign investment as well. The seminar, titled "Role of CNG in clean and green Pakistan" was organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health, to mark the World Environment Day. |
| Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, June 05, 2003 |
|
| Hydrogen fuel
powered automobiles The new material developed for electric cars locks hydrogen into cage like molecules at room temperature and releases it when the fuel is need. The material could be customised to store vast amounts of hydrogen safely. Hydrogen gas powered electric vehicles could cut pollution, but a host of problems will have to be overcome before they become commonplace. |
| The Hindu, New Delhi, June 05, 2003, Page No. 16 |
|
| APPCB tries to
crack wind and pollution link For the first time in the country, a instrument to measure hydrocarbon levels in the air would be installed in Hyderabad by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB). The on-line Air Quality Monitoring Station as the gadget called, is a 18x6 inch box weighing about 2 kg, would integrate meteorological data with pollution data. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp1, June 04, 2003 |
|
| Adulterated
fuel being supplied in Sonepat Most of the filling stations in Sonepat city of Haryana and its adjoining areas are allegedly selling adulterated petrol and diesel, mainly due to the failure of the authorities concerned. According to a report, the owners of the filling stations also sell short weight fuel to the customers. The vehicle owners are thus forced to buy petrol and diesel mixed with solvent, which increases the air pollution in the area. |
| The Tribune, New Delhi, sp2, June 04, 2003 |
|
| Bandhs bring
tainted image but fresh air! Bandhs called at the drop of a hat in West Bengal might paralyse life and industry, scare prospective investors and tarnish the West Bengal state`s image in the rest of the country, but the truth is bandhs make us all breathe easier. While comparison to a partial bandh day shows reduction of pollutants by about 30 per cent, the complete bandh was far more `environment friendly` with pollutants down by at least 50 percent at all monitoring stations. |
| The Statesman, Kolkata, spI, June 04, 2003 |
| Fuelling hopes The most common element in the unvierse could become the ultraclean everyday fuel for our cars and trucks as the result of a major new research programme. Scientists are developing a way to make hydrogen become as easy for motorists to buy and use as today`s familiar petrol and diesel fuels - and from the same filling stations. With hydrogen abundant everywhere on our planet, scientists at the Warwick Process Technology Group in the United Kingdom believe this ultra-clean gas has potential to prove far cheaper than current fuels for internal combustion engines. Their new project, named Hydrofueler, focuses on developing equipment that will ensure a ready source of fuel not only for the engines of today`s road vehicles but also for the fuel cells of cars of the future. |
| Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 1supp, June 03, 2003 |
|
| Iwatani plans
production unit for liquefied hydrogen gas Iwatani International Corp., a leading trader in liquefied petroleum gas, plans to establish a subsidiary in 2005 for the production of liquefied hydrogen gas and industrial gases. The Osaka-based trader will use the unit to make hydrogen for the fueling stations it plans to open in the Tokyo and Osaka areas to serve fuel -cell powered vehicles. |
| The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, June 02, 2003, Page No. 16 |
|
| Kanuga to
realise oil dreams In a span of another five to eight years, India, it seems won't have to look to the Gulf for petrol and diesel. The proposal to extract bio-diesel from Pongamia pinnata tree is still in its initial stages of discussion, but if the project is taken up and becomes a success, the burden of shelling out crores of rupees every year will be considerably lessened. The Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation held two meetings on bio-diesel project in September 2002 and February 2003 at which the Planning Commission and other State Government departments showed their interest. |
| The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp3, June 02, 2003 |
|
| BARVIDA concern
over dumping of environment unfriendly vehicles Reconditioned vehicles importers and dealers said that Bangladesh has now turned into a dumping yard of environment unfriendly new vehicles of India. After the government decision of restricting the import of reconditioned vehicles in last fiscal, the import of sub-standard 'so called brand new vehicles' from India is widening the trade gap with India as said by Abdul Mannan Chowdhury Khosru, president of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA). |
| The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, June 01, 2003, Page No. 1 |
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