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Why can't LPG be the alternative fuel? SC asks govts |
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Continuing to express its displeasure towards
the attitude of both the Union and state governments, the Supreme Court today advocted the
use of LPG as an alternative fuel in the Capital.Mukul Rohtagi, counsel for Central
government, rubbished the reports by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), calling it
a "body without experts", and said that the court could not go by the Bhure Lal
Committee report because "a committee of bureaucrats cannot establish what scientists
the world over are debating".
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 8th March, 2002 |
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Adulteration of fuel is rampant, but hard to check |
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An independent assessment of the problem of
fuel adulteration in the National Capital Region conducted by the Centre for Science and
Environment recently confirms Deliites' worst fears -the fuel being supplied is
adulterated and that it is difficult to detect it.CSE began collecting samples from Delhi
and the NCR on December 20, 2001, and continued till January 18, 2002.
The Times of India, New Delhi, 8th march, 2002 |
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Sulphur decreases as fuel leaves Mathura refinery |
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Experts analysing adulteration of fuel say that
along with adulteration it is the manipulation of figures by oil companies that is equally
woryying.What is extremely worrying is that that there is no explanation for this sudden
drop in the sulphur level in the fuel. A report compiled by the Centre for Science and
Environment, on adulteration and recently submitted to the Supreme Court, says: "If
refineries are producing fuel with certain sulphur content, this sulphur content can't be
reduced in the fuel at the depot."
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 6th March, 2002 |
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Greens fear budget will fuel car rush on Capitals'
roads |
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If the fiscal jugglery resorted to for
balancing the country's Budget poses a threat to public health, environmentalists believe
they have a reason to complain to Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha.The Centre for
Science and Environment (CSE), for instance, feels the Budget is another example of fiscal
instruments acting to the detriment of public health rather than protecting it.
Tribune, Chandigarh, 6th March, 2002 |
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Fuel is anything but pure in Delhi |
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A report submitted to the Supreme Court says
that massive adulteration of fuel takes place at petrol pumps in the Capital. The report
has been prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment.
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 5th March, 2002 |
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Tanker locking device fails to plug pilferage |
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The high security new locking system for oil
tankers notwithstanding, a team from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
themselves witnessed the pilferage of petrol from tankers and adulteration. Worse still,
they found that a policeman was monitoring the process.One such tanker caught at Brijwasan
depot, South West Delhi.
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 5th March, 2002 |
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No let-up on CNG for city buses: Supreme Court |
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The Delhi government's attempt to slow down the
conversion of the city's 10,000-strong bus fleet to compressed natural gas from diesel has
been foiled.The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would not modify or recall its orders to
that effect.Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain said she was very
happy with the Supreme Court's Thursday decision."Our stand has been vindicated. And
I am most satisfied with the comment made by amicus curiae Harish Salve(solicitor
general)," she told The Times of India.She said it was good that the court made it
clear that it would not modify or recall its earlier order on conversion.
The Times of India, New Delhi, 1st March, 2002 |
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The driving policy |
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The Mashelkar Committee Report on Auto Fuel
Policy is seen as contracting the Supreme Court directives on vehicular emission norms and
fuel specifications.The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), whose former Director
Anil Agarwal, was a memeber of the Bhure Lal Committee, said: "The Report....has
played into the hands of the polluters....It is so weak and uncaring about public health
objectives that it virtually denies millions of urban Indians the right to clean
air."
Frontline, New Delhi, 1st March, 2002 |
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BIS norm fuel may be fixed too |
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The petrol available at filling stations may
meet the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) specifications but can still cause engine
failure. And there is no foolproof method to know that the petrol is adulterated or not.
"The adulterated fuel met the specifications but the adulteration was not detected in
routine tests," says the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on fuel
adulteration submitted in the Supreme Court.The CSE report says similar problems were
reported from Nagpur, Maharashtra in May 2001.
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 27th February, 2002 |
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Petrol adulteration rampant |
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The failure rate of the petrol samples tested
for purity has been found to be seven times more than that found during tests done by the
oil producing companies. All samples were taken from the National Capital Region.
According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on fuel adulteration,
submitted in the Supreme Court on Friday, 26 per cent of the 72 petrol samples taken had
solvent content - like benzene - higher than the level allowed by the Ministry of
Petroleum.
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi. 25th February, 2002 |
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Sheila for multi-fuel transport system |
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With the Supreme Court deadline for phasing out
diesel buses expiring soon, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, declared that the
situation had become confusing as various market forces and agencies concerned with the
supply and distribution of CNG were misleading the Supreme Court about the ground
realities. Speaking at a seminar on “Public Transport: Future Fuels and
Technologies”, organised at Delhi Sachivalaya, Ms. Dikshit stressed the need for
having alternate, clean and safe fuels for the public transport system. The absence of a
number of pro-CNG activists and groups such as the Centre for Science and Environment
director Sunita Narain, who had refused participation about a fortnight ago but still
found her name on the invitation card – cast a shadow over the seminar.
The Hindu, New Delhi, 1st February, 2002 |
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Bhure Lal panel gets one year extension |
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The Union Ministry of Environment extended the
tenure of the Bhure Lal Committee, as the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control)
Authority is better known as, by one year. Centre for Science and Environment director
Sunita Narain has been inducted in the panel. She will take up the position in place of
CSE chairperson Anil Agarwal, who passed away earlier in January.
The Times of India, New Delhi, 31st January, 2002 |
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Govt to keen to talk than phase buses out |
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The deadline to convert diesel buses into CNG
buses ends soon. Those responsible for the job should ideally be scrambling to do as much
work as possible before the deadline expires. But what are they doing? Deliberating in a
day-long seminar on Issues in Public Transport-Future Fuels and Technologies. The Centre
for Science and Environment has already refused to attend the seminar. “We don’t
have time to sit in seminars and defend our stand on CNG. This we have done ample time. It
is time to move forward now,” said Sunita Narain, CSE’s director.
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 31st January, 2002 |
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Bhure Lal panel gets extension |
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The Environment Pollution (Prevention and
Control) Authority, known as Bhure Lal Committee, has been given an extension for another
year. There is only one change in the composition of the five-member committee. Sunita
Narain, Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) director has been nominated in place of
Anil Agarwal, CSE founder who died recently.
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 31st January, 2002 |
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Thinking globally acting locally |
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The Mashelkar Committee’s interim report,
on an automobile fuel policy for the country, treated as final and accepted in five days
flat by the Union Cabinet, makes for interesting reading not least because it attempts to
turn the clock back on air pollution control. The Supreme Court ruled in July 1998, in
response to public interest litigation brought by the late Anil Agarwal and others, that
the National Capital Region should introduce stricter regulations than those then in force
to combat the very poor ambient air quality in Delhi and its surrondings?
The Hindu, New Delhi, 24th January, 2002 |
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Green blues |
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Intensely suspicious of government’s
intentions and hoping to build public pressure for clean air, Centre for Science and
Environment director Sunita Narain tells Chandrika Mago of The Times of India that the
problem with the Mashelkar committee’s report on a national auto fuel policy is that
it proposes weak norms and does not hold the government accountable even for these.
The Times of India, New Delhi, 22nd January, 2002 |
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Euro III norms by 2005 not feasible, say experts |
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Experts say that alternative green fuels such
as LPG, CNG, ethanol blended petrol and battery have not been able to establish themselves
despite years of research because of lack of government policies that would encourage
their use. Similar is the case for CNG, with the entire issue of clean fuel being reduced
to CNG vs diesel debate and the safety factor of diesel compared to CNG, rues Anumita
Roychoudhury, coordinator of the air pollution campaign at the Centre for Science and
Environment.
Newstime, Hyderabad,21st January, 2002 |
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Green fuels fail to receive fair chance |
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Even as government has endorsed the interim
report of Mashelkar committee, which contains s blueprint for cleansing the country of
vehicular pollution, with a basket of fuels, environmentalists say alternative green fuels
are not being given a fair chance. This is the case for CNG also, with the entire issue of
clean fuel, being reduced to a CNG versus diesel debate and the safety factor of diesel
compared to CNG, rues Anumita Roychoudhury, co- ordinator of the air pollution camapign at
the Centre for Science and Environment.
Newstime,Hyderabad,21st January, 2002 |
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There’s poison in the air |
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Sunita Narain in an article in The Hindustan
Times says “ the Mashelkar committee report has given the auto industry a license to
pollute. Public health seems to be the last priority as the committee has decided that the
best option is to do as little as possible and as slowly as possible to improve fuel
quality.”
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 20th January, 2002 |
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Road to hell begins here |
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Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain
writes on the changed scenario after Mashelkar Committee's report: Let us get one thing
clear, the Supreme Court of India is not interested in compressed natural gas
(CNG).
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 13th January, 2002 |
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Multi-fuel policy angers greens |
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The Centre’s decisions to pursue a
multi-fuel policy has angered greens, who are pressing for wide use of natural gas in
vehicles to improve air quality in the country’s choking cities. “It is perhaps
a perfect verdict for Mashelkar that the only people happy with his report are bus
operators of the city who are also the polluters, “ said Sunita Narain, director of
the Centre for Science and Environment.
The Economic Times, New Delhi, 12th January, 2002 |
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CNG is fine but what about vintage vehicles |
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“Old vehicles are a serious problem. This
is why we need a strategy of fast turnover, because the vehicles fleet added today are
going to stay with us for next 15 years. So if there has to be some improvement in air
quality a decade later, we have to adopt a harsh standards today,” says Anumita
Roychowdhary, air pollution campaigner of the Centre for Science and Environment.
The Pioneer, New Delhi, 12th January, 2002 |
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Mashelkar panel flays CSE road map |
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A day after the Union Cabinet approved the
Mashelkar Committee interim report, the committee has resorted to criticising the road map
by the Centre for Science and Environment. The voluntary organisation had accusedd the
road map of vehicular emissions of diluting the recommendations of the inter-ministerial
task force on fuel quality and vehicle emissions, as well as the Society for Indian
Automobile Manufacturers’ road map released in 2000.
The Statesman, New Delhi, 10th January, 2002 |
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Two panels that say same thing but for one paragraph |
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The Mashelkar Committee Report has been hailed
by the bus operators of Delhi as "great work". The question remains that why was
another committee set up if it has ended up prescribing exactly the same thing as was done
by the task force. Experts say that it was set up primarily with the intention of
inserting that paragraph. Says Sunita Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and
Environment: "There is no doubt that the committee was set up so that the government
could find a way to scuttle the progress made on the CNG issue."
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 8th January, 2002 |
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CNG cylinders to be placed atop bus |
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Environment Protection and Control Authority
(EPCA) has directed CNG bus manufacturers to place the CNG kit including the cylinder on
the vehicle's roof instead of keeping it below the floor as it is done presently. Sources
say this is for added safety. They say the decision was arrived at an EPCA meeting in
Delhi. EPCA members include Jagdish Khattar, Kiran Dhingra and the late Anil
Agarwal.
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 7th January, 2002 |
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It took Centre just four days to accept Mashelkar
report |
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Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
seems to be in a hurry. Barely four days after the submission of the Mashelkar Committee's
interim report, the Ministry's acceptance of the report in its entirety has surprised
environmentalists. Says Sunita Narain, director, CSE "The hurry with which the
interim report has been accepted cannot but make us think that the real motive for setting
up the committee was to scuttle what ever little work was being done in Delhi and not to
devise an auto fuel policy."
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 6th January, 2002 |
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Capital gasps as impurities are added to fuel |
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In a city that has about 700 petrol pumps, just
24 outlets of an oil company have put up a hoarding ensuring people that the fuel they
sell is "pure for sure". The problem of fuel adulteration in Delhi has acquired
such dimensions that last month the Supreme Court had to intervene."There is no
proper enforcement. We have been asking that results of surprise tests be made public. And
that oil companies be ranked accordingly. Otherwise, the oil companies will continue to
remain unaccountable for the petrol pumps," Anoumita Roy Choudhary of the Centre for
Science and Environment said.
The Times of India, New Delhi, 10th December, 2001 |
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Air pollution enough to keep people indoors |
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Delhiites have reason for worry. Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) is rising and meteorologists fear that the situation won't
improve as weather conditions are likely to be 'stable'.A study by CSE reveals that 10
percent of people suffer because of pollution.
The Indian Express, New Delhi, 29th November, 2001 |
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Centre accused of denying CNG for cars |
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The Centre for Science and Environment accused
the Union Petroleum and Gas Minister, Mr Ram Naik, of trying to deny gas to Delhi's
private CNG cars by raising the "bogey of no gas and force a price increase on
them" to shake consumer confidence in the market.
The Hindu, New Delhi, 16th November, 2001 |
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NGO accuses ministry of discouraging use of clean
fuel |
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The Centre for Science and Environment, a
non-government organisation, has accused the ministry of petroleum of discouraging people
from using "clean fuel". A statement issued by the CSE stated that the ministry
is denying CNG to private cars by raising the bogey of "no gas" and
"threatening" them with price hike.
The Statesman, New Delhi, 16th November, 2001 |
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LPG-driven vehicles a safety hazard |
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Though no official figures are available on the
number of LPG-run vehicles, a study carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment
some 18 months ago had estimated that there were around 60,000 LPG- converted vehicles in
Delhi.
The Hindu, New Delhi, 11th November, 2001 |
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Telco's CNG buses in for overhaul |
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The Centre for Science and Environment, an NGO
working towards a more CNG- dependent Delhi brought in its own set of three international
experts, one each from the US, Sweden and Germany. Their verdict : the gas is safe but
improvements could be made with the following-a tighter set of norms, better cylinders,
testing should move from steady to transiet testing involves the acutal running of a bus,
better high pressure cabling and the usage of electronic distributors as opposed to
mechanical.
The Pioneer, New Delhi, 6th November, 2001 |
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Telco chalks out safety norms for CNG buses |
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Following a stern warning by the Delhi
Transport Minister, Mr Parvez Hashmi, over safety standards of CNG buses manufactured by
TELCO, the vehicle manufacturing company is understood to have prepared a two-phase action
plan not only to re-check but also strengthen the safety aspects of its environment
friendly buses, according to sources in the Delhi Government. Even the Centre for Science
and Environment (CSE) for quite some time now has been calling for developing a set of
guidelines and safety standards for the body builders.
The Hindu, New Delhi, 23rd October, 2001 |
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Exotic tips for a happy CNG journey |
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A team of experts in compressed natural gas
(CNG) technology have discovered flaws in the engine designs of CNG buses in India and
have suggested measures to rectify these problems. Centre for Science and Environment had
invited three experts in CNG technology from the USA, Sweden and Germany to evaluate the
current emissions, safety regulations and CNG technology in India.
The Asian Age, New Delhi, 18th October, 2001 |
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5 days to deadline |
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CNG crisis unsolved : Lack of adequate
provisions for the inspection of bus manufacturers to ensure they comply with the
prescribed safety standards of CNG vehicles are the main reasons behind the recent
incidents of fires involving CNG buses. This was pointed out by the Centre for Science and
Environment in a statement issued.
The Asian Age, New Delhi, 14th october, 2001 |
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Mishaps due inadequate inspection provisions |
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CSE : Recent incidents of fires involving CNG
buses have been caused by lack of adequate provisions for inspection of these vehicles,
resulting in rampant non-compliance by bus manufacturers with the prescribed standards,
the Centre for Science and Environment said.
The Statesman, New Delhi, 14th october, 2001 |
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Bus accident victim dies, another CNG probe ordered |
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The Delhi government ordered an inquiry into
the incident in which a private CNG bus caught fire due to a leak in its cylinder at the
Nehru Place bus terminal. The Centre for Science and Environment, meanwhile, expressed
shock at the incident and blamed the government which, it said, had not plans to enforce
the safety compliance standards and establish accountability.
The Asian Age, New Delhi, 12th October, 2001 |
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