Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) In the News

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
Japanese auto makers aim to captivate drivers with environment-friendly concept cars at the Tokyo Motor Show, showcasing technology they hope will set a global standard for a rapidly growing segment. Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd, Japan’s top two, set a world first last year when they put on sale fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), which run on hydrogen and emit only water as a by-product. They are also alone in selling fuel-efficient gasoline-electric hybrid cars by the tens of thousands.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Oct. 21, 2003 Page 11

Brakes put on Euro-II option for old trucks
Rejecting the pleas of 20,000 heavy-vehicle owners, the Bombay high court refused to relax earlier directives on old heavy vehicles, which specify that they shoudl be either phased out or have their engines converted to leser polluting fuels like CNG. The Court instead extended the pollution orders to include old heavy vehicles registered outside Mumbai.

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
The Karnataka High Court directed the State government to conduct a survey of old vehicles, unfit for operation on public roads, and take action either to suspend or cancel registration of such vehicles. Justice R Gururajan passed the order while dismissing a petition filed by owner of a medium goods vehicle questioning the action taken by the Regional Transport Officer, Madikeri to suspend the registration of his vehicle, which was more than 40 years old.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, Oct 17, 2003 Page 5

Lean and green cars coming to Japan soon
Japanese carmakers are all set to showcase concept cars tha tare cheaper and cleaner to run. This is part of a drive t bolster flagging domestic demand for vehicles. Toyota Motor plans to display at least three green concept cars at the Tokyo Motor Show next week, including a fuel-cell powered compact minivan.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, October 17, 2003 Page 6

`PUC norms for diesel vehicles old`
The government of India`s new auto policy is forcing automobile assembly lines to pop out more eco-riendly vehicles. But activists say the norms for pollution on the roads - especially for diesel vehicles - remain grounded in the last century.

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:
Stillwater Mining Co. SWCw.N said that Power Mount Inc. will supply autocatalysts, which are rich in platinum group metals, for Stillwater to recycle at its Montana smelting and refining facility. Under the long-term deal, Stillwater will purchase secondary catalytic converter material that is sourced by Power Mount mostly from automobile repair shops and yards that dissemble old cars for the recycling of their parts, a Stillwater statement said.Once the precious metals platinum, palladium and rhodium are recycled at Stillwater`s Columbus, Montana, facility, the metal will be sold for reuse.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, October 16, 2003

Honda boards the diesel bandwagon:
Amid growing popularity in Europe, Japanese carmakers are developing an enthusiasm for the engine. Technology has rendered out-of-date the deep-routed perception of diesels as being slow, smelly an smoky. Last year, just under 6m diesel cars were sold in western Europe – 40 per cent of the new car total. By 2007, sales will have risen to almost 8m, or 52 per cent, according to Global Insight, a market analysis group.

Financial Times, London, October 15, 2003 Page 8

The emissions race hots up:
The good thing about the Toyota Prius saloon, according to Britain’s Car magazine, is that ‘it’s totally saving the world, dude,’ The bad points of the advanced petrol-electric hybrid made by Japan’s biggest car company? It is a ‘slow, ugly, nasty drive’. The motoring magazine sums up the views of most of Europe’s drivers when it concludes by recommending that the environmentally conscious buy a diesel instead. For Europeans – both manufacturers and consumers – the race to provide a green car is being won by diesel, not hybrids. Officials in Brussels say European manufacturers’ proposals on how to reduce pollutants are ‘not substantial’.

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
Action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, who drives a gas-guzzling Hummer, promised that if he became governor of California he would promote hydrogen-fueled cars and solar energy. "I want clean air, clean water and a clean environment," the Terminator star said at a campaign appearance in Carpinteria, about 85 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The Republican actor, running neck-and-neck with Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, promised to cut air pollution by 50 percent in California and to forge a "public-private partnership" to create stations for hydrogen-powered cars every 20 miles on major Interstate highways by 2010.

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
Indian automobile industry, which has witnessed major growth in the past decade, has much to be optimistic about in the coming years too. A boom is expected in the passenger car as well as the motorcycles and multi-utility vehicles segments. However, the scooter industry will continue to remain under pressure. A National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) study says the projected demand for passenger cars in 20011-12 will touch 12.27 lakh units from 6.13 lakh in 2002-03, a compounded annual growth rate of 8 per cent.

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
Indian automobiles have created a niche, running in the fast lane in the international markets as is evident from the continued growth in exports of all auto segments--passenger cars, utility vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers. The passenger car exports saw an overall growth of 69.7 per cent at 43,988 units in the first five months this fiscal against 25,906 units in the same period last fiscal, according to figures released by the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

The Pioneer, New Delhi, September 18, 2003 Page 11

Car exhaust cleaner than air
Imagine a car that pollutes so little, the exhaust is cleaner than the air you breathe in many cities, so nearly free of pollution that it’s immeasurable by normal means. Now imagine that instead of a science-fiction machine, it looks and drives like any other car, is priced about the same and uses the same unleaded gasoline you’ve been buying at the corner petrol pump. Ford and Toyota begin selling such cars in the US next month. The automakers are sweetening the package by swallowing the cost of making the vehicles nearly pollution-free.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, September 17, 2003 Page 14

State promotes `ratanjot` oil as `bio-diesel`
The Gujarat State Forest Department has recommended the exploitation of various species of trees to produce bio-fuel. A department spokesman said that `bio-diesel;` is a possible alternative keeping in view the rising demand for crude oil. `Bio-diesel` is obtained from the seeds of various trees, including `ratanjot` (jatrofa), `karanj` and `mahuda`. These species can be easily grown and crude oil obtained from their seeds can be used as engine fuel. Of these trees, `ratanjot` is the most important one and its seeds can be used to produce 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 change-over to optical smart cards from paper registration books for vehicles will cost Delhiites Rs 130 crore. Each smart card will cost Rs 370 apart from registration charges which may vary according to the category of the vehicle. Getting a smart card is mandatory for vehicle owners with Delhi registration numbers.

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
Conventional wisdom says a sharp increase in sales of diesel engines indicates a corresponding hike in diesel consumption. But the reality is otherwise. According to oil industry sources, diesel consumption fell 5.5 per cent in the first four months of the current financial year, while sales of diesel cars surged over 50 per cent.

Business Standard, New Delhi, August 28, 2003 Page 8

Centre may allow State to use CNG as fuel
Allum: Environment Minister Allum Veerabhadrappa informed that Karnataka State may get clearance from the Centre for using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as fuel for public transport vehicles (PTVs) in Bangalore city since the Reliance Company is setting up a CNG base in Krishna-Godavari basin.Disclosing this at a press conference at Vartha Bhavan here, he said the Ministry of Environment, Government of Karnataka had sought permission from the Centre for using CNG as fuel for PTVs in Bangalore in the wake of largescale pollution. However, the Centre refused to accord permission now for the reason that Reliance Company was in the process of establishing the CNG base in Krishna-Godavari basin. "Once the base is established and pipelines are laid, the Centre may give permission to use CNG for vehicles in Bangalore," Mr Veerabhadrappa said. Mr Veerabhadrappa, who is also information minister, maintained that several measures had been taken to check pollution in Bangalore city.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, August 27, 2003 Page 4

‘CNG did not intensify blasts’
Is eco-friendly CNG also terrorist-friendly? Although the fuel is highly explosive, experts said it did not significantly multiply the intensity of the explosions in the taxis used for the blasts in Mumbai. Reports that the terrorists had checked whether the vehicles used CNG before hiring them, fuelled speculation that the CNG had magnified the impact of the blasts considerably. However, both fuel and terrorist experts said CNG taxis were not likely to become the new vehicles of terror and that the gas would have intensified the explosions only marginally.

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
Last November, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna began a war against vehicular pollution by launching a padayatra, which was followed by a massive drive to book polluting vehicles and educate the masses. But unfortunately, like public memory, the drive too has been very short-lived as pollution levels continued to increase at an alarming pace. In fact, last week, the Supreme Court took note of it and sought to know what steps were being taken by both the centre and the state governments to check it.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, August 26, 2003 4supp,

Workshop to promote environmentally friendly transport modes
With the aim of ensuring road safety and promoting an environmentally friendly, healthy and affordable form of transport for the urban population a workshop on promoting cycling has been organised by SEVANATHA - Urban Resource Centre and Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) South Asia office, Colombo is being held from August 26 to 27 at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Independence Square, Colombo 07. The workshop is expected to bring into focus various policies and mechanisms used by the Ministry of Transport and Highways, Urban Development Authority and Municipality Councils that support or discourage commuters from using non motorised transport.

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 Madras High Court has ordered notices to the Transport Department and the Metropolitan Transport Corporation on a public interest litigation petition which highlights, among other things, the poor maintenance of MTC buses, pollution caused by them and frequent breakdowns.

The Hindu, Chennai, August 24, 2003 Page 3

Emission testing set to go hi-tech
The Tamil Nadu State Government has proposed October 1 as the deadline for all the existing emission testing centres to upgrade their emission checking equipment through computerisation.

The New Indian Express, Chennai, August 23, 2003 sp1

LPG plan for rickshaws could clean up air
If Ahmedabad is the most polluted city of the country, blame it on vehicular pollution. More than 13.5 lakh vehicles ply on the city roads emitting toxins in air. The 65,000 autorickshaws definitely take the `worst polluter` tag. Nearly 80% of toxins that impact the ambient air quality come from these three-wheelers, it is believed. But, now there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. A move is about to switch the three-wheelers to LPG as a cheaper and non-polluting fuel.

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
Three big automakers General Motors Corp.GM.N , DaimlerChrysler AGDCXGn.DE and Isuzu Motors Ltd.7202.T and several auto dealers said they dropped the lawsuit that had delayed California`s clean-air program, saying changes in the regulations would allow them to cut tailpipe emissions by selling a wider range of vehicles than just electric cars. In addition to electric cars, automakers will now also get credit for sales of vehicles fueled by hydrogen fuel cells and for hybrids, which boost miles per gallon by using electric engines in addition to gasoline engines.

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
European Union lawmakers agreed a major law to fight against climate change yesterday - a cap on industry`s greenhouse gas emissions and the creation of the world`s first international emissions trading market. If the bill is endorsed by the European Parliament in a vote next Wednesday and then rubber stamped by EU ministers, many firms will from January 2005 need special permits to emit carbon dioxide (CO2), EU parliament members said. "With this measure the EU can demonstrate to the world that it is not simply talking about the problem of global warming but taking practical action to address the issue," British Liberal Democrat parliament member Chris Davies said. The emissions trading directive is the centrepiece of the EU`s efforts to reach its target under the United Nations Kyoto Protocol on climate change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent of 1990 levels by between 2008 and 2012.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, June 26, 2003

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 next time you are waiting for a traffic signal to turn green, be sure to turn off your vehicle, especially if it runs on diesel. Your idling vehicle emitting poisonous fuel, waiting to zoom through the traffic signal, is actually adding to the lung cancer cases in Ahmedabad city. A study conducted by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted a deadly fact: An 8% increase in cases of lung cancer in the city is due to highlevel of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter. Director of CSE, Sunita Narain said, "Eighty per cent of the pollution in Ahmedabad can be attributed to vehicular emissions. Amdavadis are breathing in toxins, many of which are carcinogenic, on a daily basis. This situation, reminds me of the situation in Delhi a few years back, when we had started a campaign for clean air."

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, June 21, 2003

Trucks from outside Delhi allowed in despite SC ban`
The leader of the Opposition in MCD standing committee, Mr Vijender Gupta, alleged that trucks which are using Delhi as a transit point are once again being allowed to enter the Capital, in violation of the Supreme Court`s ban imposed last year. In a bid to check pollution levels in the Capital, the Supreme Court had directed the authorities to stop such trucks from entering Delhi, which were merely using it as a transit point.

The Statesman, New Delhi, June 21, 2003

Govt. in reverse gear over ban on old transport vehicles
Old and polluting vehicles will have an extended run in Bangalore city, or so it seems, with the Government thinking of deterring Chief Minister S M Krishna`s 2002 Budget promise of a ban on 20-year-old transport vehicles in Bangalore to check pollution. The Government is all set to indefinitely defer the ban to please the transporters` lobby, highly placed sources said.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, June 20, 2003

Air pollution in twin cities high, says report
The Hyderabad city is choking to death and the quality of air during peak traffic hours is highly polluted, according to a report of the Clean Line Centre at Environmental Protection Training and Research Institute, Gachibowli.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

`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

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

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

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

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

APSRTC to introduce seven Bharat II norm buses
The APSRTC will be introducing seven Bharat II buses in the twin cities of Andhra Pradesh on May 30. The APSRTC introduced Euro norm buses which confirm to Bharat I standard to reduce the intensity of pollution. With the introduction of Bharat II vehicles emission of pollutants will come down further, according to an APSRTC press release.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp3, May 30, 2003

Emission test must for all vehicles in Udupi
Regional Transport Officer (RTO) M Giridhar has said that action would be taken against the owners of vehicles moving in Udupi district of Mangalore, without having the air pollution control test certificates. In a press release, he said that the emission level of both the petrol and diesel driven vehicles, should be within the permitted limits and the vehicle owners should get their vehicles tested for emission at particular test centres.

The Canara Times, Mangalore, May 30, 2003, Page No. 1

Ethanol price row may put eco-friendly fuel on back burner
The launch of a five per cent ethanol blended petrol in the Tamil Nadu state seems to be facing a roadblock again, with oil and sugar industries locking horns over the price of the molasses by-product. Though the Centre set a June 30 deadline for introduction of the eco-friendly automobile fuel mixture in the State, which also feeds Pondicherry, the oil industry was keen on launching it earlier, preferably from June 1.

The Hindu, Chennai, May 30, 2003, Page No. 5 & www.hinduonnet.com

How to halve U.S. transport emissions by 2050
By using a set of existing technologies and policies and building on them, it is possible to reduce U.S. carbon emissions from transportation 20 percent by 2015, and almost 50 percent by 2030, says a new report by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Noting that transportation sources account for nearly a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the report, released today, says it is critical that U.S. climate change policy address transportation emissions. It identifies a number of policies and technologies that could achieve those goals.

Environment News Service, US, May 29, 2003

NY plan to cut air pollution is stalled
It sounded so easy. The New York Power Authority offered to equip about 1000 diesel school buses in New York city with pollution controls, at no cost to the city or the bus owners, allowing tens of thousands of children to inhale cleaner air on their daily rides.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, May 26, 2003, Page No. 7

Magical return to clean glory
Inspired by the success, and international recognition, of its CNG programme, the Delhi government is bringing out a special booklet penned by the Chief minister, Sheila Dikshit, narrating the ‘CNG success story’ which has transformed this once ‘tunnel of smoke and smog’ into a cleaner and greener city. Attributing this achievement to Team Delhi, the colourful and attractive booklet traces the history when catalytic converters were made mandatory in 1996 followed by low sulphur diesel and then introduction of CNG in 1998.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 26, 2003, Page No. 1 & www.hinduonnet.com

State to permit sugar mills with distilleries to produce ethanol
The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to permit cooperative andprivate sugar mills having their own distilleries to produce ethanol for mixing in petrol and its use as vehicular fuel. However, while taking the decision, the government has put a rider that when the State shall face shortage of sugar the sugar producing mills shall produce the commodity.This was disclosed to newsmen after the weekly cabinet meeting by Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, May 23, 2003, Page No. 9

Centre playing with health of Delhiites
Unmindful of the damage being caused to the quality of air and the health of people by vehicular pollution in the Capital, the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways continues to sit over the Delhi Government`s request to effect changes in the maintenance and inspection of pollution control norms for in-use vehicles by making them more stringent with advanced test procedures.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 21, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

Toyota to recall fuel cell cars due to tank glitch
In a setback to advancing fuel-cell vehicle (FCV) technology, Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall all six of its hydrogen-powered vehicles after it found a leak in the fuel tank of one of the cars. Japan`s top car manufacturer had begun leasing the million-dollar-plus cars to four Japanese government ministries and two California university campuses last December, becoming the world`s first automaker, along with rival Honda Motor Co, to market the environmentally friendly vehicles. Toyota, the world`s third-biggest automaker, said the leak occurred in the vehicle leased to Japan`s Environment Ministry while the high-pressure hydrogen tank was being refilled.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, May 21, 2003

Three dozen battery-run buses rusting in depot
About three dozen battery run buses, worth crores of rupees, parked for more than a decade at the bus depot of Delhi Energy Development Authority at School Block near Shakarpur area of East Delhi, have been reduced to junk, thanks to the apathy of the Delhi Transport Department.

The Tribune, New Delhi, sp1, May 21, 2003

Uttaranchal offers Rs 80,000 subsidy on electric van
The Uttaranchal government is offering a subsidy of Rs 80,000 on the sale of each "Bijlee" vehicle, a zero emission electric transit van being manufactured by automobile major Mahindra and Mahindra. The government`s decision to offer subsidy is aimed at replacing Vikrams, being manufactured by Scooters India Ltd, which are the key mode of transport in the state capital.

Business Standard, New Delhi, May 20, 2003, Page No. 4

Focus on use of biofuels
Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh advocated decentralisation of production and use of biofuels in the country. In Indian conditions, a programme for promotion of bio-fuels will succeed only if their production and use can be decentralised, Mr Singh said while inaugurating a two day International Conference on Biofuels in New Delhi.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 20, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

Traffic cops out to check pollution
The Ahmedabad Traffic Police (ATP) has taken up a project to map the levels of acoustic trauma that Amdavadis suffer due to high density of vehicular population. Officials of the ATP have tied up with the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) to conduct a
survey at all busy cross-roads of the city. ATP has also decided to rope in an ENT specialist from the Civil Hospital to help them in the drive.The survey would have three target groups - traffic, policemen posted at busy traffic junctions, shopkeepers who conduct business alongside thoroughfares and people who check private vehicles for pollutin and issue Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates.

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, May 18, 2003, Page No. 5

Delhi CNG model going places
The success story of Delhi in implementing an eco-friendly fuel in its public transport system will now be repeated in Iran. India will help Iran in developing a CNG-based environment-friendly transport system for its cities. Delhi`s CNG model has become an international bestseller now, India has entered into an agreement with Iran in which it has promised technical knowhow to develop an environment-friendly CNG-based transport system for the cities.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, May 18, 2003, Page No. 9

Biodiesel for Railways
The Indian Railways is experimenting with the new eco-friendly `biodiesel` fuel to run passenger trains. The first successful trial run of a superfast passenger train was conducted on 31 December, 2002 when Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express used five per cent of `biodiesel` as fuel.

Sahara Time, New Delhi, May 17, 2003, Page No. 17

No smoke in this fire
A two-day international conference on biofuels will commence in New Delhi on May 19 to deliberate on environment-friendly and economically viable alternatives to fossil fuels. The conference, to be inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh, will bring together al stakeholders in the biofuel sector and a number of foreign scientists. The conference aims to focus on the progress, policies and prospects related to capacity building for blending ethanol with petrol and diesel.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, May 16, 2003, Page No. 11

India and US to sign deal on tech for hydrogen fuel
George W Bush has a roadmap for ''hydrogen economy'' and India will take its first step towards becoming a willing partner towards realising it. In the next few days, the Government will sign an agreement with the US on 18 areas of cooperation dealing with cleaner and more efficient ways of using electricity and water. Hydrogen is one of the most important areas of cooperation to improve the world's climate and is seen as the most concrete of the 18 proposals at this stage. Bush's vision of the International Partnership is that consumers in participating countries will have a practical option of purchasing a competitively priced hydrogen-power vehicle, and be able to refuel it near their homes and places of work by 2020.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, May 16, 2003, Page No. 1

Eco-friendly battery-operated moped
Good news for environmental lovers and for those who find petrol too expensive to maintain two-wheelers. A Bangalorean, B S Syed Sajjad Ahmed, has developed a unique `Battery Operated Moped` which can run upto a speed of 50 kms per hour and can cover a distance of 40 to 50 kms once fully charged.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, May 15, 2003, Page No. 2

Walled city will get battery-run vans soon
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will run battery-operated vans in the Walled City to offer a pollution-free answer to chaotic commuting in the area. 'Four battery-operated vans would be run on a trial basis. Depending on the results of this experiment, the service may be extended to other parts too' Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs Vijay Goel said.

The Times of India, New Delhi, May 13, 2003, Page No. 3

US gov`t seeks $150 mln in hydrogen car projects
The U.S. Energy Department asked for industry proposals for $150 million in demonstration projects to spur the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the service stations and other infrastructure needed to support them. The projects mark the first step in carrying out the Bush administration`s plan to have hydrogen cars on the highway within two decades to help reduce U.S. foreign oil imports. "This solicitation is an important step toward fulfilling the president`s vision that the first car of a child born today will be powered by hydrogen," said Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, May 12, 2003

Hydro-fuelled 2-wheeler
India has developed its first hydrogen-fuelled two wheeler and generator set. The testing phase of five motorcycles developed by Banaras Hindu University has been completed successfully. The ministry of non-conventional energy, which funded motorcycles that will be tested in various cities, said the senior advisor to the non-conventional energy ministry, Mr S K Chopra.

The Statesman, New Delhi, May 11, 2003, Page No. 13

Ethanol-mixed petrol may be a tall order
Taking the "mix-ethanol-with-petrol-and-drive-away-with-low-carbon-dioxide-emissions" campaign, mounted and spearheaded by the Union Petroleum Minister, Mr Ram Naik, to its logical conclusion would necessitate infrastructure investments up to an estimated Rs 4,000 crore. According to prognostications by Dr Kochu Baby Manjooran, Senior Quality Control Officer with Kochi Refineries, most States lack the infrastructure to produce anhydrous ethanol. "Getting the required infrastructure in place for this would alone require investments up to Rs 600 crore.

Business Line, New Delhi, May 11, 2003, Page No. 5

Green Tax Bill on old vehicles introduced in Assembly
A Bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Act to enable the levy of a separate `Green Tax` on all classes of old motor vehicles was introduced by Transport Minister R Vishwanathan in the Assembly. The tax would be levied on old vehicles as a measure to "control air pollution". The Bill also sought to give effect to the government`s decision to revise the Motor Vehicle Tax payable in respect of maxi cab, educational institution buses and private service vehicles.

The New Indian Express, Chennai, May 10, 2003, Page No. 3

Clean fuel scheme stumbles again
The Dhaka Clean Fuel project stumbles again as the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) refuses to buy 200 CNG buses under this scheme at a high interest rate. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has offered the government a loan at 1.5 per cent interest to purchase 200 CNG buses for the BRTC but the rate spirals up to 12 per cent due to the absurd internal rerouting of funds, sources said. The rerouting maze starts with the government providing the fund to the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd. (RPGCL) at 4.5 per cent interest. Taking its share of 8 per cent interest, the RPGCL then gives it to the state-owned BRTC through Janata Bank.

The Daily Star (Internet), Dhaka, May 10, 2003

Bill on green tax for old vehicles introduced
A Bill to revise motor vehicle tax for maxi-cabs, school and college buses and private service vehicles, to impose a new green tax on old motor vehicles and to levy a six per cent lifetime tax on certain four wheelers was among the Bills introduced in the Assembly. The Bill also provides for an increase in the tax per seat on vehicles used by educational institutions.

The Hindu, Chennai, May 10, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

Pollution control certificate mandatory all over Tamil Nadu
The pollution under control certificate will soon be made mandatory for all vehicles plying in the entire Tamil Nadu state. As of now, the certificate is mandatory only for vehicles operating in five districts including Chennai, Kancheepuram and the Nilgiris. However, the Government would issue an order extending it to whole of Tamil Nadu, the Transport Minister, R. Viswanathan, informed the Assembly.

The Hindu, Chennai, May 09, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

No restriction on filling CNG: SC
The Supreme Court asked Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) to give a public notice within a day or two announcing that there was no restriction on vehicles filling their gas tanks. Though IGL had denied the allegation made by Delhi government’s counsel Wasim Quadri that IGL had issued unwritten instructions not to give vehicles more than a certain quantity of CNG, the court asked it to ensure adequate supply of fuel to autorickshaws and buses in the city.

The Times of India, New Delhi, May 09, 2003 Page No.2

SC asks for govts’ views on hike in CNG price
Seeking to resolve the controversy over alleged manipulated price hike of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the Supreme Court asked the Petroleum Ministry and the Delhi government to file their responses on affidavits of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) defending the hike. A bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare, Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice Arijit Pasayat sought the responses when amicus curiae Harish Salve charged IGL, the sole distributor of CNG in Capital, of playing with figures to justify the hike of price from Rs 13.11 per kg to Rs 16.83 per kg.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, May 09, 2003 3supp,

Govt plans to overcome CNG crisis shortly
As CNG crisis continues to persist in the city, the Energy Ministry says launching of huge number of CNG three-wheelers at a time is the main reason for it. Huge number of CNG autorickshaws were launched in short period of time without considering whether there are enough refilling stations to feed, a senior official of the ministry said.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, May 07, 2003, Page No. 16

Lucknow soon to get CNG supply
CNG will be available to vehicle owners in Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow soon. GAIL will complete the task of laying underground pipelines within four months and the mother station for CNG will be established on the Scooter`s India premises at Sarojinagar.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, May 07, 2003 1supp

Campaign slams U.S. automakers for gas guzzlers
Environmentalists turned up the heat on U.S. automakers today for stalling on fuel economy and contributing to the nation`s dependence on foreign oil. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Detroit Project say U.S. automakers and their political allies are determined to fight off any fuel economy increases, even though the technology exists to raise the fuel efficiency of cars and sport utility vehicles to 40 miles per gallon (mpg).

Environment News Service, US, May 07, 2003

BP says taking cautious steps towards hydrogen fuel
BP Plc (BP.L), the world`s third-largest oil firm, is taking a cautious approach to investing in hydrogen as a fuel, Vice President John Mogford said this week as the firm launched the world`s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus. Mogford, who heads research in renewable energy, said BP spends some $12 million a year on pilot projects and much more than that on intellectual capital. "We have to work on it in partnership," Mogford told Reuters in an interview after the world`s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus was launched in Madrid, part of a project to bring 30 such buses to 10 European cities.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, May 07, 2003

Khurana plays down award
Making light of the `Clean City Award` for which Delhi has been chosen recently, city BJP claimed it was not any environmental certificate by the US government but by an association of industrialists having business interest in the national Capital. "The award is being given by an organisation of manufacturers of Alternate Fuel Vehicles. This body deals in CNG vehicles and has chosen Delhi for the award as it found the maximum sale of CNG vehicles," city BJP president Madan Lal Khurana told reporters.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 07, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com

U.S. autos fuel efficiency at 22-year low
The average fuel economy of cars and trucks in the United States fell to its lowest level in 22 years in the 2002 model year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The technological and engineering leaps of the past two decades have been poured into everything but fuel economy, the agency's statistics made clear.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, May 05, 2003, Page No. 10

Clean City award for Capital hailed
The Indraprastha Gas Limited, the sole supplier of compressed natural gas in Delhi, lauded the selection of Delhi for the "Clean City International Award" by the Department of Energy of the Government of United States. The Managing Director of IGL, A.K. De, said Delhi`s selection for this prestigous award is very encouraging as it is an acknowledgement of the hard work that has gone into in the conversion of the complete public transportation system on CNG mode.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 04, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

CNG price hike predatory: Salve
Harish Salve, who has been appointed by the Supreme Court to assist it in the compressed natural gas (CNG) case, submitted that he was preparing an inter-sectorial priority list for the distribution of the gas. He said this when Essar, Reliance and other industries complained that their CNG quotas had been slashed because of the court order to provide gas to the transport sector in the capital on a priority basis.

Business Standard, New Delhi, May 09, 2003 No. 4

MC sticks to `antique` machines
The Amritsar Municipal Corporation, Punjab sanitation machinery including tractors, trucks and loaders, though outlived its utility years ago, but is still plying on roads, causing pollution. The machinery comprising around 51 tractors and 14 trucks and loaders ought to have been condemned long ago and replaced by new ones, but this has not been condemned long ago and replaced by new ones, but this has not been done.

The Indian Express, Chandigarh, May 02, 2003, Page No. 4

Let the polluter pay
Rajah Chelliah, the renowned tax expert, has recommended the adoption of a differential excise duty structure for automobiles so that more polluting vehicles attract a higher excise duty. Chelliah suggests that these vehicles pay higher annual emission charge as well. The report, commissioned by the ministry, also advocates a 'resource tax' to be leived based on the fuel efficiency of vehicles. These are excellent proposals and a distinct improvement over the current approach to tackling vehicular pollution. Thus far, absolute bans - like the one imposed on non CNG public transport vehicles in Delhi - have been preferred route. (Editorial)

The Economic Times, New Delhi, May 02, 2003, Page No. 8

Britain hopes onto a 'green' rickshaw
The British capital may have just got aboard the greenest ride of them all- the sleek, high-tech rickshaw, which is advertising its muscle-powered, point-to-point cruises in high-pedestrian areas as London's newest, coolest and most eco-friendly on the planet. And the like clichéd coals to New castle, the Metrobike's original, six year old Teutonic 'avataar, the Velotaxi, may be heading straight for Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkota too in 2005, its German creator Lugar Matusewskei has said.

The Times of India, New Delhi, May 02, 2003, Page No. 1

Loose oil flows in twin cities
To check the ever increasing vehicular pollution, sale of loose lubricant oil has been banned in the twin cities of Andhra Pradesh since January 2001. But the sale continues in the twin cities catering to the increasing number of vehicles thanks to the prevailing confusion as to who is the inspection authority. Though the Lubricant Control Order specifies that the licensing authority for lubricants is the Commissioner Civil Supplies, it fails to clarify the name of the inspection authority.

Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, May 01, 2003, Page No. 4

Hydrogen car no environmental panacea
Even with aggressive research, the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle will not be better than the diesel hybrid in terms of total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, says a study recently released by MIT`s Laboratory for Energy and the Environment.

The Hindu, New Delhi, May 01, 2003, Page No. 16 & www.hinduonnet.com

Green bus turns white elephant after trial run
In 1991, South 24 Parganas got a green gift from the science and technology department a pollution free bus that was driving by battery. Twelve years down the line, it is gathering outside the bungalow of the district magistrate at Alipore, West Bengal. It has been there for the past 12 years, after a few trial runs on Sagar Island. Residents were awe struck when they first saw the bus. It was difficult to believe that it could run minus petrol or diesel and without billowing the thick plumes of smoke that the islanders were so familiar with.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, April 30, 2003, Page No. 9

Vehicle inspection unit for South Delhi soon
The Delhi government will set up an Inspection and Maintenance Unit at Okhla, for vehicles. The second of its kind, the unit will share some load in catering to vehicles from the centre at Burrari, Transport department officials said. ''The Okhla unit will be constructed by the Delhi Transport Corporation and will have a state-of-the-art workshop to mend minor problems in vehicles that come for inspection,'' said Transport Minister Ajay Maken. The unit will be set up with the help of the Centre for Science and Environment, Maken said. The unit will not only check the mechanical fitness of the vehicles, but will also check their emission levels and give them PUC certificates, officials said.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 4supp, April 30, 2003

CNG crisis to be over by June: Mosharraf
Bangladesh Minster of Energy and Mineral Resources AKM Mosharraf Hosain has said the number of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refueling station in Dhaka city will be 30 with in the month of June next. He hoped that there will be no crisis of refueling CNG's in coming days.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, April 29, 2003, Page No. 16

California pulls plug on battery electric vehicles
California officially pulled the plug on electric vehicles, opting instead to rely on gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles and ultra-clean gasoline powered vehicles to meet clean air standards. However, in a bow to advocates of zero emission vehicles and renewable energy, the state also held out the distant flicker of hope that hydrogen powered fuel cell cars might enter the early phases of commercialization within a decade.

Environment News Service, US, April 28, 2003

'Adulteration cases less in the East'
The number of fuel adulteration cases in the eastern region, including West Bengal is much compared to other regions in the country, director general of anti-adulteration cell under the Union petroleum ministry G Prasana Kumar said last week.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, April 28, 2003, Page No. 10

Diesel cars must pay higher excise: Chelliah report
Diesel cars have always had an edge over petrol ones, but may not for long. The government is studying a report authored by noted tax expert and economist Raja Chelliah which suggests a higher excise duty on diesel passenger vehicles to neutralize their price advantage. The report 'A proposal to levy taxes on polluting inputs and outputs and pollution charges on certain mentionable emissions' commissioned by the ministry of environment and forests, says mainly that polluters must pay more.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, April 28, 2003, Page No. 1

U.S. Energy secretary announces new fuel cell projects
U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has announced new research projects to develop hydrogen -powered fuel cells that would be so inexpensive they could provide auxiliary power for large trucks or generate clean electricity during the next decade. According to an April 23 press release, Abraham announced the selection of research tems headed by FuelCell Energy of Danbury, Connecticut and Acumentrics Corporation of Westwood, Massachusetts to join the Department of Energy's (DOE) Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program.

USIS Official Text, New Delhi, April 25, 2003

Cylinder blast shakes CNG sector
Bangladesh's booming CNG sector that still goes through problems experienced the first explosion in a vehicle, sending alarm that there is no monitoring to avoid the risk factors and safety standards.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, April 25, 2003, Page No. 1

Regulations cut U.S. carbon monoxide emissions
The U.S. regulation of carbon monoxide is "one of the great success stories in air pollution control," an independent panel of scientists reported this week. According to the National Academy of Sciences committee, tighter vehicle emissions standards and federal air quality standards have combined to dramatically lower levels of the colorless, odorless but potentially deadly gas across much of the United States. The panel found that there are a few areas in the Western United States still susceptible to accumulating high levels of the pollutant, but said there is no need to further tighten federal carbon monoxide (CO) emissions standards on motor vehicles.

Environment News Service, US, April 25, 2003

HC refuses to waive daily fine on old vehicles
The Bombay high court blasted the transporters for holding the city to ranson for four weeks and refused to entertain their plea that the Rs – 500per day fine be waived for the days their vehicles were not plying. A division bench of Chief Justice C.K. Thakker and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud came down heavily on the heavy vehicle owners who went on strike to protest the court’s March 31 order on phasing out of 15-year old commercial vehicles.

The Times of India, Mumbai, 3, April 25, 2003

CSE points to ban on old vehicles
The Union Ministry of road transport and highways has yielded to truckers on the issue of phasing out of vehicles more than 15 years old in contravention of the proposed Bombay High Court ban on such vehicles, an environmental research body has said. "The striking truckers had demanded a waiver on the proposed Bombay High Court ban on 15-year-old commercial vehicles in the city. The ministry has helped the truckers find a way around the ban," the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said in a statement in New Delhi. According to the CSE, the Centre`s position is in defiance of a recent Bombay High Court order and a July 28, 1998 Supreme Court ruling, both of which had fixed the age of commercial vehicles at 15 years to control air pollution.

Business Standard, New Delhi, April 25, 2003 Page 3

Double-deckers will solve pollution problem: Expert
Dr S Nagabhusan Rao, director of Engineering Staff College of India urged the government to reintroduce double deckers in the Hyderabad city, Andhra Pradesh to minimise transportation problems. Giving the 13th Koka Krishna Mohan Rao endowment lecture on `Public Transportation of Hyderabad-Problem and Solutions`, he said that double deckers and trolley buses would ensure smooth traffic with less amount of pollution as they can accomodate a large number of commuters.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp3, April 24, 2003

Biogas, diesel engine comes to ryot`s rescue:
Those who visit Mr Mallikarjun Arali`s 14 acres of green agricultural land at Hiremaganur village in Ranebennur taluk of Karnataka, would be happy to see improvement in agriculture sector and on how the duel fuel engine can be run successfully by using 80% of biogas and 20% of diesel by using catalytic convertor in the diesel engine. The development of agriculture depends mainly on the introduction of the New Agricultural Technology (NHT) which includes introduction of high yielding varieties of seeds, new forms of equipment, better irrigation facilities, pesticides and other factors.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 4, April 24, 2003

Take test in Burari, govt. will not fail you
The Delhi government`s vehicle inspection unit at Burari is the beginner`s school for the not-so-fine art of PUC manipulation. Every trick in the book that is employed elsewhere in Delhi to fudge results on a PUC test are known and practiced here. It also tells a story of how things could have been different, better, more efficient. Officially, 10% of the vehicles fail to clear the test but sources said the figure could be as low as five.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 3supp, April 24, 2003

US group gives cleanest chit to CNG Delhi
Delhi is the cleanest, according to the US Department of Energy. The National Capital is being awarded the first ever Clean Cities International Partner of the Year Award. The recognition is being given by the US Administration in association with the US Clean Cities Coalition to recognise work done by the city to "bring to fruition a multi-stakeholder, progressive and succesful CNG transport programme", a statement from the organisers said. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will receive the award on behalf of the people of Delhi next month.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, April 24, 2003

Cleaner substitute for diesel?
A nut oil widely used in cosmetics and shampoos could one day be powering cars and trucks. Scientists have found that jojoba-fuelled engines performed just as well as diesels. They also produced fewer pollutants, and ran more quietly and for longer. Jojoba is a desert shrub that can reach up to 4.5 metres high and typically lives more than 150 years, producing nuts that yield half their volume in oil. Engineers believe it has potential as a motor fuel because it releases a lot of energy when it burns, and is chemically stable at high temperatures and pressures, "New Scientist" magazine reported.

The Hindu, New Delhi, April 24, 2003, Page No. 14 & www.hinduonnet.com

Delhi bags US award for clean city
Adding a new feather to the cap of the Congress-led Government in Delhi, the U.S. Department of Energy has conferred the "Clean Cities International Award" for progressive and successful implementation of the CNG transport programme in the Capital to the Sheila Dikshit Government. The Chief minister, Shieila Dikshit, would receive the award on behalf of Delhiites at a ceremony in California on May 21.

The Hindu, New Delhi, April 24, 2003, Page No. 1 & www.hinduonnet.com

CNG autorickshaw service in disarray
Low pressure of gas, inadequate number of filling stations and use of re-conditioned compressor machine in CNG filling stations in Dhaka city have thrown the CNG autorickshaw service in disarray. But solution is unlikely, as new investors prefer to go slow in the context of less profit after a sharp rise in the price of CNG.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, April 23, 2003, Page No. 1

Why even a chimney would pass PUC test
Strict enforcement of pollution under control tests-fines and photographs of number plates-will make little difference in reducing pollution in Delhi. The emission norms for in-use vehicles have not been reviewed since 1992. (In-use vehicles are those that have been on roads for at least three months and need to get a PUC done regularly). From all that he has said, the Union Road Transport Minister B.C. Khanduri doesn't think that new models need stricter emission standards. This means that though Delhi has more better technology cars, it's bogged down by obsolete standards.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 3supp, April 23, 2003

Cycle for a clean, green city:
`Car Free Day` in Bangalore is not an attempt at tokenism to take the cars off our streets. It is an attempt to break ourselves from the pattern. Styled on the lines of International Car Free Day. It is aimed at inculcating and encouraging people to think about the impact of their transporation choices and how a cleaner, more effective forms of transport can enhance our quality of life.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, April 23, 2003 Page 2

Accidents up, pollution down with no lorries:
Contrary to public perception, the number of accidents on Bangalore roads have increased since truckers decided to take their vehicles off roads. Thankfully though, vehicular pollution in the city seems to be slightly less now without all those smoke-spewing lorries. According to statistics available with the Bangalore traffic police, 171 persons were injured and 13 killed during the week ending April 19 -- the truckers’ strike started on April 14.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1supp, April 23, 2003

PUC check: 43 motorists pay the fine:
The Transport Department’s enforcement drive against motorists not carrying the new computerised Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates bearing photograph of the registration number began today. A.S. Kaushik, in-charge of Complaint Cell (Transport), said: ‘‘Of the 684 vehicles checked, owners of 43 vehicles were fined for not carrying the certificates.’’ There are 22 enforcement teams of the Transport Department in the field, consisting of five to six officials each. Drivers not possessing the PUC certificates will be prosecuted under Section 190 (2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. They will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 3supp, April 22, 2003

EU readies first ideas on hydrogen fuel dream:
The European Union`s dream of weaning people off dependency on oil and getting them hooked on hydrogen-fuelled transport may be closer to reality but critics say it disguises an emphasis on coal and nuclear power. European car and energy firms have joined forces in a group founded by the European Commission to keep the EU`s hydrogen firms on track with rivals in Japan and the United States.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, April 22, 2003

A paler shade of 'green' in Japan
As Ford Motor Co. last week scaled back expectations for its first hybrid-powered vehicle and backpedaled on the pledge to improve the fuel economy of its sport-utility vehicles, Toyota Motor Corp. was introducing its latest Prius, which it has said it will get about 55 miles to the gallon and be the first midsize vehicle with hybrid technology. For environmentalists in America, the contrasting developments reinforced a feeling that only the foreign-based carmakers care about curbing the swelling U.S. appetite for oil.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, April 21, 2003, Page No. 10

Strike brings some respite too
Though the transporters' strike has sent prices of necessary commodities in an upward spiral, forcing many housewives into redoing their home budgets, there is a positive to it. The stir has also brought along a blessing by way of low pollution levels on Delhi's roads. The All India Motor Transport Congress-led truckers' strike which began on 14 April has brought along suspended particulate matter (SPM) and the respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and has also affected the ration of noxious gases in the Capital's environment.

The Statesman, New Delhi, April 21, 2003, Page No. 3

Pollution under certified control from today
With the long holiday break of government officers out of the way, the Delhi transport department will begin its drive to challan vehicles operating on the Capital's roads without the new computerized 'pollution under control' certificate from Monday (21st April).

The Statesman, New Delhi, April 21, 2003, Page NO. 2

Only battery powered vikrams to ply in Doon
Only battery powered Vikrams will be allowed to ply on the streets of Doon once the term of the permits of the present three-wheelers has expired. According to Transport Department sources, the licences of these Vikrams will not be renewed. It has also been decided to grant a subsidy of Rs 80,000 to those seeking to operate battery operated Vikrams. These vehicles cost approximately Rs 4 lakhs. It is expected that this step would go a long way towards addressing the serious problem of vehicular pollution in Dehradun city of Uttaranchal.

Garhwal Post, Dehradun, April 20, 2003, Page No. 2

IISC develops less polluting three-wheeler
Technologists of Indian Institute of Science (IISC) and a Swiss government funded agency have developed a 'low pollution hybrid electric three-wheeler' that they said runs at economy of Re 1 per km. IISC's Centre for Electronic Design and Technology (CEDT) and ARCE CH(Biel School of Engineering and Dasag Energy Ltd) of Switzerland have built a test platform of the three wheeler in three years.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, April 20, 2003, Page No. 4

CNG station owners to go on partial strike:
All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Association will observe partial strike against the working of illegal CNG workshops in the twin cities. A declaration issued by the association said the strike, which would continue from midnight on Sunday (20th April) had no political motive. All CNG stations will remain closed during the strike. "Ours is one point demand from the government to close down all unauthorized CNG workshops using substandard and locally manufactured gas cylinders," the declaration said.

Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, April 20, 2003

CNG for Kolkata in 6 months
State-owned gas utility Gail India is in an advanced stage of talks with the Bengal government for taking over the ailing Greater Calcutta Gas Company and hopes to start city gas service, including for the automotive sector, in six months. 'We will start due diligence within a week and the rest fo the takeover formalities will take about three months', Gail chairman Proshanto Banerjee said.

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 19, 2003, Page No. 8

Ford to miss 2005 deadline for SUV fuel efficiency target
Ford Motor Co. said it would miss its 2005 deadline for improving the fuel economy of its sport utility vehicles by 25 per cent - a high profile goal set by the world's second largest automaker to much acclaim three years ago. Phil Martnes, Ford's vice president of product creation for North America, said Ford had decided to delay its SUV fuel economy improvements in favor of trying to reach a 20 per cent to 30 per cent improvement in favor of trying to reach a 20 per cent to 30 per cent improvement in average fuel economy across all the vehicles it sells in North America by the end of the decade.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, April 19, 2003, Page No. 5

Toyota hopes to widen lead in hybrid vehicles
Toyota Motor Corp., the first automaker to sell cars powered by a mix of gasoline and electricity, has unveiled a larger, faster Prius hybrid, hoping to widen its lead in the market for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, B2, April 18, 2003

Toyota unveils gasoline-electric hybrid sedan
Toyota Motor Corp., unveiled a new, juiced up gasoline-electric hybrid sedan, showing off its clean and fuel efficient technology that is gradually winning acceptance all over the world.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, April 18, 2003, Page No. 7

UK fuel cell industry gaining momentum
The UK fuel cell industry is growing rapidly and will continue to gain momentum with proper support from government and industry, says a new report. But globally the UK's position is weak, with only a handful of patents and commercialized systems generated from UK research. Around 850 people are currently employed in the UK fuel cell industry and in research, according to a survey by Fuel Cell Today. The top ten organizations include Accentus, Eneco, Imperial College, Intelligent Energy, Johnson Matthey, Morgan Fuel Cell and Rolls-Royce.

Edie (Internet), UK, April 17, 2003

Gas firms allowed to lay pipes
The BMC has allowed Mahanagar Gas Limited to lay pipelines to construct eight compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Mumbai as directed by the Bombay high court. MGL has also been permitted to carry out digging work for repairing its existing pipelines. This decision was taken at a high level meeting between chief minister Sushilkumkar Shinde, municipal commissioner Karun Srivatava, Union petroleum minister Ram Naik and MGL officials.

The Times of India, Mumbai, April 17, 2003, Page No. 3

PUC deadline ends, no drive launched
On the first day after the pollution under control certificates (PUCC) deadline expired, Delhi state transport commissioner Sindhushree Khullar said it was a regular day at work. ''No drive is on as of now,'' she said. According to Khullar, the enforcement department teams were on the roads, but there was no stress on prosecution.

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 17, 2003, Page No. 3

Ballard CEO sees hydrogen cars commercial by 2013
Vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells could be competitive with conventional combustion engine powered cars within 10 years, the CEO of fuel cell developer Ballard Power Systems Inc. (BLD.TO) (BLDP.O) said. At the moment, cars powered by fuel cells are almost entirely crafted by hand and come with sky-high price tags of up to $2 million each. But Ballard President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Campbell said soon the price will drop.

Planet Ark (Reuters), Australia, April 17, 2003

EPA to cut air pollution from off-road diesel vehicles
The Bush administration said it would propose rules to cut harmful air emissions by some 90 percent by 2010 from diesel-powered vehicles like tractors, bulldozers and other off-road vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency will require fuel refiners to produce cleaner diesel, and will order manufacturers to build engines that strip out more harmful particles in emissions linked to asthma and other serious respiratory ailments. The agency said in a statement that its proposal, to be unveiled by EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman later this week, will "achieve enormous air quality improvements throughout the country."

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, April 17, 2003

Australian car sector sets target to cut fuel use
Australia`s car industry unveiled plans this week to reduce fuel consumption of new passenger cars by about 18 percent by 2010 to help cut emissions of carbon dioxide blamed for global warming. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said a voluntary code of practice set a target to cut the amount of fuel used by new cars to 6.8 litres per 100 km (68 miles) by 2010 from the 2001 level of 8.28 litres. "To achieve the new target, we will need to introduce sophisticated new engine and fuel system technologies to many of the vehicles sold in Australia," the chamber`s chief executive Peter Sturrock said in a statement.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, April 17, 2003

CNG pipeline: Maharashtra Govt-MGL stand-off ends
The prolonged stand off between the Maharashtra Government and the Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) over the lying of new CNG pipelines in Mumbai ended on Wednesday, with the State Government agreeing to vacate the stay on digging of city roads and assuring the Petroleum Ministry that it would grant permission for resumption of suspended pipeline lying work in the city. Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde assureds Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, when the latter held a discussion with Mr Shinde on various issues relating to his ministry.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, April 17, 2003, Page No. 4

TMT to convert fleet to CNG
Thane Municipal Transport (TMT), a transport wing of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), has decided to convert its 264 diesel-run buses into Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - run buses on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore.

The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, April 16, 2003, Page No. 9

PUC: Delhi`ites breathe easy this time
Long queues of vehicles were missing at pollution checking centres in different parts of the Capital, despite this being the last day for vehicle owners to secure a computerised pollution under control (PUC) certificate. The late night rush was, however, reported at some PUC centres in the Capital. From April 16, the Delhi transport department is slated to launch a drive to challan vehicles moving on city roads without valid PUC certificate with a photograph of the registration plate.

The Statesman, New Delhi, April 16, 2003, Page No. 3

Last day to get pollution certificate
Petrol pumps throughout Delhi are gearing up to meet the last-minute rush -the last day for motorists to get their pollution under control (PUC) certificates. The Delhi state transport department will start prosecuting motorists driving without PUCs from Wednesday (16th April).

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 15, 2003, Page No. 5

Naik blames State government for unused ethanol
Blaming the State government for the unused ethanol in the sufar factories, Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik on Sunday said `criminal delay` in issuing transport permits by the state excise department was responsible for the woes of the sugar factories.

The Free Press Journal, Mumbai, April 14, 2003, Page No. 11

Agra, A'bad B'lore get Euro-II oil
Euro-II emission norm-compliant petrol and diesel have been introduced in Banglore, Ahmedabad, Agra, Pune, Kanpur and Surat, oil minister Ram Naik said, adding improved quality of oil containing ultra low sulphar and benezene content, were till now available only in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad/Secunderabad.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, April 12, 2003, Page No. 3

Plan to upgrade Burari vehicle inspection centre
Upgradation of the Burari centre for commercial vehicles and a phase-in-plan for centralised inspection system commensurate with the test procedures and norms for all categories of vehicles have been recommended by the Centre for Science and Environment in their report on motor vehicle inspection submitted to the Delhi Government. The report, based on recommendations by two leading foreign pollution experts, Lennar Erlandsson of Sweden and Michael P. Walsh of USA, has called for improvement in the present system and the introduction of a new enhanced system for vehicle inspection in Delhi.

The Hindu, New Delhi, April 12, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

Gujarat all set to cruise along CNG highway
Gujarat is taking a chapter out of Delhi's clean-up act and improving it to ensure that motorists running their cars on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are free to cruise along highways without switching to petrol or diesel. Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (GSPCL)- the only oil company in the country promoted by a state government - has planned to set up a chain of 246 CNG filling stations along the highways between Hazira and Mehsana by the end of next year.

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 12, 2003, Page No. 7

Pollution testing centres to be checked for violation of rules
A thorough checking of all the 53 authorised pollution testing centres issuing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates will be conducted by the Directorate of Transport, and appropriate action, including cancellation of authorisation will be taken against those found violating the conditions of the licence even as KTC has been authorised by the government to issue PUC.

Herald, Panjim, April 11, 2003, Page No. 7

CNG refill spots in 6 months
Retail outlets for supply of Compressed Natural Gas will soon dot all major cities of Andhra Pradesh. Initially, the Gas Authority of India Limited will open retail outlets at Vijayawada and Tirupathi and LPG filling stations in the twin cities. The CNG filling stations in the twin cities would materialise once a direct Natural Gas pipeline from Vijayawada is commissioned.

Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, April 11, 2003, Page No. 8

SC dismisses truckers' petition
Maharashtra transporters who had pinned their hopes on the supreme court for extra time to phase out their old, polluting vehicles received a blow, when the apex court dismissed their petitions. However, transporters said the protest strike, which began on April 1, is likely to continue especially since a nation-wide transport strike is slated to begin on April 14.

The Times of India, Mumbai, April 11, 2003, Page No. 3

Hydrogen powered car
The prospect of hydrogen fuel-cell powered cars, highlighted by President Bush in his state of the Union address to Congress, promises the benefits of major reductions in air pollution and US dependence on foreign oil suppliers...editorial

The Assam Tribune, Guwahati, April 10, 2003, Page No. 6

Hearing on truckers petition postponed:
With the supreme court hearing on the transporters' petition against scrapping old vehicles from Mumbai city postponed to strikes is not likely to end soon. Transporters took out a morcha blocking traffic on P D' Mello Road, at Masjud Bunder. Commercial vehicle owners have been on strike since last week to protest against city high court orders banning 15-year old heavy vehicles in Mumbai, unless they convert to clean fuels like Compressed Natural Gas.

The Times of India, Mumbai, April 09, 2003 Page 4

Big trucking firms clean up their act with natural gas
The Tokyo municipal government plans to tighten regulations governing diesel engine emissions in October prompting an acceleration in the introduction of eco-friendly vehicles in the transport industry. Nippon Express Co. and Yamato Transport Co. have test-introduced heavy-duty trucks fueled by compressed natural gas, while Sagawa Express Co. and Fukuyama Transporting Co. are also adding more CNG-engine trucks.

The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, April 07, 2003, Page No. 10

PUC certificates issued sans tests:
Law students: Three law students have approached the Panjim Bench of the Bombay High Court asking that the government be directed to take a more pro-active stand in monitoring the agencies issuing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates to motor vehicles, claiming that these certificates are presently being issued without any test being conducted.

Herald, Panjim, April 01, 2003 Page 4

GM and BMW to jointly support hydrogen cars
General Motors Corp. (GM.N) and BMW AG (BMWG.DE) have agreed to work jointly on developing refueling devices for liquid hydrogen vehicles, which could replace gasoline or diesel-burning cars and trucks in the future, a GM official said. The two automakers are scheduled to announce the cooperative effort at a trade show in Hanover, Germany. GM and BMW will work to establish global standards for hydrogen refueling devices, such as the coupler to connect liquid hydrogen fueling pumps to future cars, Larry Burns, GM`s head of research and development, said.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, April 10, 2003

US Senate panel adopts Bush`s hydrogen car program
The Senate Energy Committee this week agreed to authorize funding for the Bush administration`s hydrogen car program, rejecting Democratic attempts to set specific goals for automakers in getting the alternative-fuel vehicles on the highway. To help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, President George W. Bush wants to spend $1.3 billion on research over the next five years to develop hydrogen-powered cars, service stations and other infrastructure to supply the fuel.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, April 10, 2003

Between smog and CNG, hard choices ahead
The fallout of the battle to clean up Mumbai is showing up in the rising prices you're paying for food. Eight days have passed since 4.65 lakh trucks, private buses and tempos have been no strike over the issue of converting to CNG (compressed natural gas) engines for the sake of cleaner air. Of these goods vehicles, around 58000 (including 700 school buses) are from Mumbai itsef, all lying dormant to protest the Bommay High Court order to either convert from diesel to CNG, or face a stiff fine of Rs 500 a day to keep running.

The Indian Express, Mumbai, 1(s), April 09, 2003

This hybrid electric vehicle may hit the roads soon
The Centre for Electronics Design and Technology (CEDT) of the Indian Institute of Science and Biel School of Engineering of Switzerland have jointly designed a hybrid electric vehicle which makes use of the best of both worlds-an internal combustion engine which most cars of today run on and an electric vehicle. The prototype of this hybrid vehicle was displayed at the workshop on "Technology meet on low pollution hybrid electric vehicles" held in the Indian Institute of Science today. It is said to be the first of its kind in the country. Many automobile majors in developed countries, however, have been researching on this technology for sometime.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, April 09, 2003, Page No. 2

New tools but PUC test a sham: CSE
Another deadline for that slip of paper and yellow sticker saying 'Pollution Under Control' (PUC) is looming ahead. The 400 test centres in Delhi have computers and web cams for automatic imaging of number plates but these are just ''props'' as the real problem remains unsolved. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in an open letter to Surface Transport Minister B.C. Khanduri says that he is holding back the state governments from implementing an effective emission programme for in-use vehicle. The present system does not work because anybody can beat the lax standards that have not been upgraded since 1992. Though the Metros have Euro II norms for vehicles at the manufacturing stage, they have the same standards for in-use vehicles in the form of PUC.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, April 09, 2003

2 Companies said to agree to settle suits on emissions
Alcoa and Archer Daniels Midland have agreed to settle federal air pollution complaints by upgrading smelters and other factories at a cost the government estimates at $700 million, one of the companies and people familiar with the case said. Alcoa, one of the largest emitters outside of power plants of sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain, said it had agreed to reduce its sulfur dioxide emissions at its aluminum smelting plant in Rockdale, Tex., by at least 95 percent, or more than 52,000 tons a year. It will also reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, which contribute to smog, by 90 percent, or 17,000 tons a year.

New York Times (Internet), New York, April 08, 2003

They flout PUC licence norms with impurity
Bharat Pandya is authorized to issue only petrol PUC certificates, but on March 30, he issued four diesel PUC certificates - two to autorickshaws, one each to a jeep and a van in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). All of them ply on diesel. Investigations by TNN showed dealers flouting PUC norms with gay abandon. Asked if he had a diesel licence, Bharat Pandya who operates two mobile PUC units, said ' I have my methods streamlined on how to issue a PUC certificate. If we land in a controversy, you are going to have it

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, April 07, 2003, Page No. 5

SC to hear truckers plea on April 7
The truckers' strike in Maharashtra entered it's fourth day on Friday amid prospects of a legal battle. The appeal against the Bombay HC Order on conversion of vehicles into CNG/LPG by July 31, will come up for hearing on April 7.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, April 05, 2003, Page No. 4

Private agencies will take home polluting vehicles
If the Transport Department has its way, you will no longer see vehicles seized for pollution violations rusting in peace in Bangalore's police stations. Instead, they will be handed over to private security agencies for safe-keeping. "Discussions are being held at the highest level and once the suitable changes are made to the relevant Act, the Department can take the seizing polluting vehicles," a senior Transport Department official told.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 1supp, April 04, 2003

Kolkata vehicles told to conform to Bharat II norms
A division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprising the Chief Justice and Justice Mr J.K. Biswas today directed the State Government to ensure that all types of vehicles plying within Kolkata metropolis convert to Bharat Stage II standards. These vehicles include private, commercial, Government, semi Government, public goods carriers, two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws. The conversion should be completed within one year. The Court passed the order following a writ petition filed in environment and pollution control matter. The Court also directed the State Government to take steps so that the order is strictly complied with for the protection of environment.

Business Line, New Delhi, April 04, 2003, Page No. 17

Solar-powered rickshaws on the road
They did not exactly look like the chariots of the sun god but appeared functional and roadworthy, besides being a lot environment friendly. The solar-powered rickshaws, for the introduction of which the former ruler of Mewar would be perhaps remembered by posterity, made a formal road run in the Rajasthan. The event, which was marked by a polo match between Solar East and Solar West at the Rambagh Polo Grounds here, was the official start of the first international solar rickshaw rally. The match was inaugurated by the former Queen Mother, Gayatri Devi of Jaipur.

The Hindu, New Delhi, April 04, 2003, Page No. 13 & www.hinduonnet.com

Adulterated fuel keep world class vehicles off the road
Japan's Ambassador to Nepal has been riding around in a Toyota Lexus for almost three years now. Lexus is also a fuel-efficient and environment friendly vehicle. With emission rate only half that of the normal vehicle and fuel consumption almost 35 percent less, Lexus is a prized vehicle of many. There, however, is a downside to owning such a sumptuous vehicle in Nepal. 'The fuel in Nepal is of low grade and excessively adulterated', said Purushottm chitrakar, the auto mechanic. The problem, certainly, is not only encountered in Lexus. The lower grade fuel in Nepal, simply, is not compatible to the better versions of cars assembled by global manufacturers.

The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, April 03, 2003, Page No. 1

Oil cos may float 2nd tender for anhydrous alcohol
The oil companies are likely to come out with a second tender next week calling for anhydrous alcohol supply to commence the gasohol programme in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, according to oil company sources. According to the sources, the tender will be for one-year supply of anhydrous ethanol to commence the sales of ethanol-blended fuel, gasohol, in these States. The oil companies hope to meet the deadline fixed by the Centre for them to commence supply of gasohol by June 30. Suppliers are expected to make available anhydrous ethanol by June 1 to the oil companies.

Business Line, New Delhi, April 03, 2003, Page No. 17

Volvo India chief moots Euro module for highways
Truck maker Volvo India Ltd has suggested to the Government that it adopt the Euro module system of transportation once the $11-billion `Golden Quadrilateral` project is completed to reduce emission and save on huge fuel costs. In India, the fuel cost constitutes 60 per cent of freight companies. The Euro module system leads to reduction in fuel consumption of over 50 per cent, reduces emission by around 80 per cent and increases road space by over 70 per cent. "All this can lead to a reduction in transport cost per tonne km of around 30 per cent."

Business Line, New Delhi, April 03, 2003, Page No. 5

Supply to CNG stations to continue
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) (Pakistan) stopped the gas utilities - SNGPL and SSGCL - from disconnecting gas supplies to compressed natural gas stations till June 30. Under an executive order of the Director General Gas of the petroleum ministry, the utilities were required to disconnect gas supplies to analogue (non-digital) CNG stations after March 31, 2003. As a result, more than 55 CNG stations were to face stoppage of gas supply.

Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, April 02, 2003

'Arunachal hub of plant substitute for diesel'
Talking to the media persons in Itanagar, Annasaheb MK Patil, a technocrat turned politician, made a sensational disclosure that the entire northeast, Arunachal Pradesh in particular, was the hub of jetropa plant, found also in south India, which has already proved its potential in virtually substituting diesel. Experiments were successful when jetropa mixed diesel had fuelled several runs of a Delhi -Amritsar train a month ago, said Patil who was the man behind making mandatory the mixing of methane with petrol and now preparing to bring through the legislation of jetropa-diesel mix for vehicular use which when in vogue would bring down the pollution curse to almost zero, said a confident Patil.

The Assam Tribune, Guwahati, April 02, 2003, Page No. 7

Bush rolls ahead with small fuel economy increase
The Bush administration raised fuel economy standards for most sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans, but many contend the increase is too small to have much, if any, impact on the nation`s dependence on oil or its need to combat global warming. The final rule issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation`s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) increases the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks by 1.5 miles per gallon (mpg) over the next three years.

Environment News Service, US, April 02, 2003

Maharashtra strike
Around 4.5 lakh trucks, tempos, tankers and private buses went off the roads in Maharashtra for an indefinite period to protest against an order of Mumbai high court on phasing out of vehicles more than 15 years old.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, April 02, 2003, Page No. 3

CNG price up
Reversing a commitment for retaining the fixed price of gas sale to the CNG filling stations for five years, the Bangladesh government following a donor's suggestion has raised the rate by about one Taka per unit.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, April 01, 2003, Page No. 1

Pay fine, get extension, HC tells truckers
Starting owners of 20000 heavy vehicles older than 15 years will have to shell out Rs 500 per vehicle per day until their vehicles are phased out or adapted to run on clean fuel. The deadline to phase out or convert to clean fuel ended. A division bench of Chief Justice C.K. Thakker and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of the Bombay high court granted a four-month extension until July 31 to truckers and owners of other transport vehicles including buses, tankers, lorries, trailers and delivery vans - if they pay the Rs 500 fine per day.

The Times of India, Mumbai, April 01, 2003, Page No. 3

Extension of deadline likely for PUC certificates
In a big relief to vehicle owners, the Delhi government is likely to announce a 15 day extension of the deadline for acquiring photographed Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate for vehicle owners in Delhi and those of the adjoining States plying their vehicles in the Capital. An announcement in this regard is expected to be made by the Transport Minister, Ajay Maken.

The Hindu, New Delhi, April 01, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com

People queue up to beat PUC deadline
Long queues of vehicles reappeared outside pollution checking centers in Delhi as people rushed to the nearest centre in a last minute scramble to get the new computerized pollution under control (PUC) certificate with a photograph of the registration plate printed on it. The Delhi government has made it mandatory for all private and commercial vehicles running on the Capital's roads to possess the new PUC certificate on 1 April.

The Statesman, New Delhi, April 01, 2003, Page No. 3

IOC goes green with low sulphur content fuels
Transport Minister B Ramanath Rai launched Indian Oil corporation's (IOC) environment-friendly fuels with lower sulphur content in Bangalore. IOC outlets will now supply fuels with a maximum sulphur content of 0.05 per cent as against the current level of 0.25 per cent, said an IOC official. The green fuels have been launched as part of the industry's initiative in the wake of the government committing itself to the introduction of clean fuels conforming to Bharat-II emission norms, said and IOC official.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, 3supp, March 31, 2003

City of fumes
Political inertia can be irreparably damaging the lungs. The Calcutta high court seems to have lost patience with the West Bengal government. The state has been deliberating for what feels like an eternity over what to do about the old vehicles which pollute the air of the city. The government hhas again submitted a report to the green bench on how it plans to check automobile pollution....Editorial

The Telegraph, Calcutta, March 31, 2003, Page No. 12

Petroleum companies oppose production of ethanol for fuel
Calling for stepping up production of ethanol to promote ethanol-blended petrol, Chairman of Indian Sugar Exim Corporation Ltd (ISEC) Shivajirao Patil said petroleum companies are 'trying their best to oppose the production.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, March 31, 2003, Page No. 4

LPG unplugged for cars, two suppliers
Vehicles in the Capital can now run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The Delhi government last week authorised two agencies to convert vehicles and supply them with LPG kits.While Auto Gas and Yash Propane got the go-ahead from motor licencing officials and the Transport department, the applications of 10 to 12 other agencies are being considered. Delhi Transport Commissioner Sindhushree Khullar said: ''Inspections are on to check if these agencies meet the requisite standards. We will soon have more companies converting vehicles and supplying the LPG kits.''

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, March 31, 2003

Emission free buses ready to run:
For long Kathmanduities have been suffering from and complaining of pollution, a chief cause of which, arguably, is vehicular emissions. Many people feel the increasing air pollution in the city. Even the Department of Transport Management shows that the number of vehicles in Kathmandu has increased from 100831 in 1998 to 171678 this year.At a time when the Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) is considering controlling vehicular emissions, a non-governmental organisation is pushing for the widespread use of an electric-powered bus which it says is the answer to the air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley.

The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, June 30, 2003 Page 1

Law fails to catch up with LPG-run vehicles
Even as the Motor Vehicles Department itself terms the use of portable Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders in motor vehicles as illegal, the unlawful practice is continuing in Kerala State with the 'approval' of the authorities concerned. The Central and State governments had legalised the use of LPG as an alternative fuel in motor vehicles by amending the rules concerned, with the stipulation that the LPG-cylinder should be an integral part of the vehicle. However, this is being totally violated in the State, perhaps due to the lack of facilities here. The authorities are turning a blind eye towards this blatant violation.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, March 30, 2003

Don’t dump low quality vehicles : Huda: Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda urged the automobile distributors not to dump two quality vehicles into the country in the name of ‘environment friendly’ ones. ‘Some manufacturers might try to dump bad vehicles into poor countries like Bangladesh to exhaust their stocks. So I request the local distributors not to make Bangladesh a dumping ground’, the minister said.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, June 30, 2003 Page 16

Formula 13 fights foul fumes
The West Bengal state government`s final report concerning ways and means to tackle and tame automobile pollution, which was placed before the high court green bench contains several features that have not been included in its earlier avatars. Besides raising the age of cars to be phased out to 17 years from the former figure of 15, the West Bengal state government plans to seek legal changes to bring in strict panel measures for violation of traffic rules.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, March 29, 2003, Page No. 17

One year and no more for gas
Buses, autorickshaws, taxis and old cars will be forced off city roads if they do not convert to CNG or LPG within a year. The high court said it could give no more than a year for cars that don`t meet the Bharat II emission norms and public transport vehicles to convert to the environment friendly liquefied petroleum gas or compressed natural gas. Rejecting the government`s report on how it planned to check automobile pollution, the Green bench of Chief Justice A.K. Mathur and Justice Jayanta Biswas set the final deadline for the West Bengal government to implement measures it had announced four years ago.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, March 29, 2003, Page No. 1

Auto-emissions
A report of compliance on the suggestions of an expert committee on automobile emission was submitted on behalf of West Bengal government to the Bench of Mr AK Mathur, Chief Justice, and Mr Justice J Biswas of the High Court.

The Statesman, Kolkata, III(s), March 29, 2003

For Bangaloreans, cheapest car is cheap no longer
The cheapest car in the country is about to become costlier for Bangaloreans, thanks to stricter emission norms. The cheaper Euro I versions of Maruti 800 and Maruti Zen will not be available in Bangalore City as the Transport Department is making Euro II emission norms mandatory for all the vehicles that roll out on Bangalore roads from April 1. However, Euro I versions will be available in other parts of the State. It simply means that the customers will have no other choice but to buy the more expensive Euro II versions. Priced at Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore), the Euro I version of Maruti 800 is about Rs 16,000 cheaper than its Euro II version. The Euro II version of Maruti Zen (LX model) is about Rs 20,000 more than the Euro I version which costs Rs 3.15 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore).

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, March 27, 2003, Page No. 2

Brazil`s Dedini ties up with Uttam Group for fuel alcohol tech
After Alfa Laval and Delta-T, it is the turn of the $250-million Dedini Industrias de Base to eye the country`s potentially lucrative anhydrous alcohol (the high purity ethanol used for blending with petrol) market. The Brazilian engineering major, which is the world`s largest supplier of alcohol distillation plants, has tied-up with the Rs 225-crore Ghaziabad-based Uttam Group to offer domestic sugar mills `flexible technologies and complete turnkey solutions` for manufacture of fuel alcohol.

Business Line, New Delhi, March 27, 2003, Page No. 2

Oil execs say volatile gasoline prices due to ethanol
California`s increasingly volatile gasoline market may be a glimpse of what other U.S. states will face if they switch to ethanol-blended gasoline to cut pollution, refining executives said. California is seen as a bellwether as it this year began to transition to the use of gasoline mixed with ethanol, an alcohol made from grain, to help cut smog-forming vehicle emissions.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, March 26, 2003

PUC for cars entering Delhi
Motorists entering Delhi will have to possess a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate having a photograph of the vehicle from April 1. ''I'll not allow anybody to pollute Delhi,'' Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken said today. He added that this didn't mean that the visitors would be harassed. The Minister said that many of 345 computerised pollution checking centres are located near the entry points, for the benefit of such motorists. ''Our experience shows that most polluting vehicles are registered outside Delhi,'' Maken had told the Delhi Assembly. ''Our drive for cleaner air in the city will not be successful till we target these vehicles,'' he had said, explaining the reason behind the move.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, March 26, 2003

PUCC directive: Delhi unaware as deadline nears
Come 1 April, chaos will reign supreme on the Delhi roads. Thanks to a Delhi government directive, which makes it compulsory for all private and commercial vehicles to posses fresh Pollution Under Control Certificates. The fallout would be long queues at the 345 computerised Pollution Under Control Certificates centers in the Capital, which will have to issue at least 4000 copies of such certificates every day to meet the deadline of 31 March.

The Statesman, New Delhi, March 26, 2003, Page No. 3

`Autorickshaws adding to pollution`
Pollution in Gurgaon has increased manifolds in the last couple of years. It has been pointed out that a large number of autorickshaws discarded by Delhi drivers, following the orders of the Supreme Court, have started plying in Gurgaon. This was observed by the newly elected president of Chamber of Industries of Udyog Vihar, Mr O N Khanna. He said that most of these "illegal vehicles" could not have been registered in the city because the Supreme Court`s direction was applicable to the NCR region.

The Tribune, New Delhi, sp2, March 26, 2003

Emitting PUCs sans inspection
If you are wondering why you begin to choke and cough each time you stop at a traffic signal, despite a large number of vehicles in Ahmedabad having the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is your answer. None of the vehicles mentioned above actually exist!. The dealers are giving a PUC certificate for just Rs 20 for a two-wheeler and Rs 25 for a four-wheeler. These dealers did not even want to see the vehicles, let alone take a preliminary test to ensure that they actually met emission norms or not.

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, March 25, 2003, Page No. 3

Pollution papers must from April 1
From April 1, all vehicles on Delhi roads will have to carry a pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Those announcement, made by state transport minister Ajay Maken in the Delhi legislative assembly came for sharp criticism from Opposition members who said the deadline was unrealistic and would amount to harassment for vehicle owners.

The Times of India, New Delhi, March 25, 2003, Page No. 5

'Diesel super' launched in city
IOC, Mangalore division has introduced premium diesel branded as 'diesel super' at their petrol bunk M/s Vishnu Enterprises on Falnir Road in the Mangalore city recently. Soman Mathews, Sr Divisional Manager, formally launched the product. Diesel super will reduce smoke emission upto 50% and remove deposit on injectors.

The Canara Times, Mangalore, March 24, 2003, Page No. 2

Vehicular growth accompanied by respiratory problems
The number of vehicles in Kerala has risen drastically in the last 12 years, and the immediate fallout of this has been an increase in respiratory diseases. Motor vehicles in the state grew from 581,000 in 1990 to an astonishing 2.31 million in 2002, while vehicles per 100 sq km grew from 1,495 to 5,958 in the same period, according to the latest economic review of the Kerala government. Kerala`s commercial capital Kochi leads in vehicle population at 406,000 followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 320,000 and Thrissur with 241,000 vehicles. The hilly districts of Idukki and Wayanad have the least vehicular population with 36,000 and 32,000 vehicles respectively.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, March 23, 2003

BMC will trash old garbage vehicles
The Mumbai's muckrakers are slated for clean up. Over 100 old vehicles from the BMC's solid waste department are going to be replaced by new, more eco-friendly models. The municipality's budget this year includes an allocation of Rs 14.85 crore to replace garbage vehicles that are over eight to 15 years old. The moves come sin response to high court orders seeking to phase out older, polluting vehicles in the city.

The Times of India, Mumbai, March 23, 2003, Page No. 3

Poor maintenance, high emission
The on-going vehicle emissions tests in Thimphu (Bhutan) indicate that poor maintenance of vehicles is one of the main causes of high emission levels, say the road safety and transport authority (RSTA). According to RSTA, almost half of the 842 vehicles (petrol and diesel) tested for emissions failed to meet the emission standards.

Kuensel, Bhutan, March 22, 2003, Page No. 3

S project to curb pollution
To curb the growing pollution in the Hyderabad city, the Sustainable Transportation Project was launched at the Regional Transportation Authority office. The project is part of a United States Agency for International Development funded Greenhouse Gas Pollution Project- Climate Change Supplement.

Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, March 22, 2003, Page No. 12

Solar powered autorickshaws may no longer be a fancy
Does the concept of solar powered autorickshaws with feather touch controls and an in-built microprocessor seem a bit too futuristic in a city notorious for its smoke-spewing three wheelers? But believe it or not, the future is upon us if students of Tagore Engineering College near Vandalur, Tamil Nadu have their way with their solar hybrid auto. For nearly a year, a six member all student team from the College`s Mechanical Engineering department was tapping the solar energy to perfect the soundless, eco-friendly and vibration free vehicle.

The New Indian Express, Chennai, sp1, March 20, 2003

RTA to put 15-year-old vehicles on pollution check
In order to ensure safety and pollution standards, the Road Transport Authority in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh has decided to test heavy transport vehicles, both goods and passenger vehicles that are more than 15-year-old for renewal of fitness certificates at Imlibun Bus Station, beginning from March 20.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp3, March 19, 2003

Hydrogen claims clean energy crown
On January visit to the U.S. Department of Energy, a fuel cell research team drawn from Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co.,Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and other major manufacturers - an annual fact finding tour that has taken place for several years now - noticed a quite different atmosphere form last year. The clean -energy project, backed by the central government, will operate five hydrogen stations in the greater Tokyo area to enable automakers to road-test-fuel-cell vehicles.

The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, March 17, 2003, Page No. 8

Daimler Chrysler rolls out entry in Tokyo's fuel-cell road test
DaimlerChrysler AG later this year plans to market fuel-cell vehicles in Japan through corporate leases in order to raise its name recognition in the market for environment-friendly cars. The German automakers plans to make 60 fuel cell vehicles by the end of this year and has allotted 10 to the Tokyo experiment, with the rest going to Germany, the U.S. and elsewhere.

The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, March 17, 2003, Page No. 8

Hybrid getting a second wind
Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., the first automakers to sell hybrid cars, say they probably cannot build enough of the fuel-saving autos to meet U.S. demand this year as rising gasoline prices spark consumer interest. So far in 2003, sales of their three gasoline electric models, Toyota's Prius are up 50 percent.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, B4, March 17, 2003

Bio-diesel production can reduce dependency on crude oil import: KVIC
With indigenous production of bio-diesel from non-edible crops like jatropa and ratanjyot India can save up to Rs 20,000 crore forex, according to Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). On a KVIC's national convention on rural industrialisation, its senior executive B.M. Tiwari said growing such crops on a commercial scale can create up to 15 crore direct and indirect jobs. Bio-diesel will also help reduce dependency on crude oil imports by nearly 78 million tonnes.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 17, 2003, Page No. 15

Autos on a spiked petrol high
The Delhi government has discovered that auto drivers in the Capital find it more lucrative to run their vehicles on adulterated petrol - naphtha being the mixer - instead of CNG. Adulterated petrol costs the same as CNG but is more fuel-efficient. The added advantage is circumventing the serpentine queues at CNG stations. Joint raids conducted by the Transport Department and the Food and Civil Supplies Department over the past few weeks have shown that autos have been running on adulterated petrol, available mostly in west Delhi`s Raghubir Nagar and Punjabi Bagh.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 17, 2003, Page No. 3

Urban transport: sky bus system gaining ground
The government has plans to improve urban transport services in various cities. Extension and strengthening of the railway suburban services, light rail and metro rail projects besides sky bus are the various options being explored depending upon the traffic density of a city.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, March 17, 2003, Page No. 3

Cleanup deadlines get approval
After some old fashioned haggling, government and industry have agreed on environmental clean-up deadlines for each of the 17 polluting sectors. This ‘voluntary’ effort by industry, supported by the Union environment ministry, is enshrined in a formal charter on corporate responsibility for environmental protection. Civil society representatives, Toxics Link and Centre for Science and Environment, see the deadlines as weak, dictated by industry and voluntary boot. Worse, these just look at the production processes and haven’t flagged the issues of products and disposal of these, said CSE director Sunita Narain.

The Times of India – Delhi – March 17, 2003

Hybrid electric cars will secure tenth of European market by 2015
Hybrid cars will soon be featuring in a showroom near you, according to a new report. Consultants Frost & Sullivan predict that hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) will adorn the glossy brochures of most major car manufacturers by the end of the decade. Their latest report suggests that HEVs will capture around 3% of the European market during the same timeframe, with shipments expected to grow from 900 units in 2000 to 450,000 units by 2010.

Edie (Internet), UK, March 14, 2003

Breath of dirty air: Particulate matter high in metros
They are really small particles, but they cause a great deal of harm. Taking off on that note, Prof P K Sikdar, director Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) announced the need to study the effect of respirable particulate matter (RPM). ''All RPM is harmful. But some, depending on their size, are more so. We need to study this RPM and the health impact they have in metros like Delhi. Already, the concentration of total suspended particulate matter is higher in Delhi than the level prescribed by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Studies have indicated that RPM of the size 0.1-2.5 microns are the most critical with respect to human health and are known to cause acid rain,'' Prof Sikdar said. He was speaking at a day-long workshop organised by CRRI to understand and devise means of measuring the harmful RPM. The meet was inaugurated by Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 4supp, March 14, 2003

Off the road
The order by a bench of the country's apex court the other day to take all vehicles older than 20 years and those that do not meet the minimum emission standards off the road in the Kathmandu Valley needs to be welcomed. The decision is not only in keeping with the time but also essential considering how crowded, unplanned and haphazard swellings have spurted in the Valley in recent years. There is little debate that the Valley, where most business and political activities are centred, has drawn people from all over the country and beyond. (Editorial).

The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, March 13, 2003, Page No. 4

Battery-operated buses to quieten Charminar
If the plans of the Tourism Department fructify, Hyderabad will have an Islamic Culture Museum soon. The museum will be part of Charminar pedestrianisation project which would thus be not limited to road widening and beautification. There are also plans to run battery operated buses near Charminar to reduce noise pollution levels in order to protect the 400 year old monument.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp1, March 13, 2003

EU assembly urges more biofuels in road transport
EU lawmakers agreed that more plant-based biofuels should be used in road transport across the bloc over the next few years to help reduce dependence on conventional gasoline and diesel. The EU assembly recommended that amounts of biofuel - made from vegetable oils, sugar beet, cereals and organic waste - that are marketed for use in public transport should reach 2.00 percent by December 2005 and 5.75 percent by the end of 2010.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, March 13, 2003

Lion Oil to cut pollution from refinery - US EPA
Lion Oil Co. will spend $21.5 to install state-of-the-art pollution control equipment to reduce air pollution from its refinery in El Dorado, Ark., the Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department said. Lion will undertake the work as part of a settlement of a Clean Air suit. The settlement also calls for it to pay a $348,000 civil penalty and to spend more than $450,000 on supplemental projects to reduce emissions from the refinery.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, March 13, 2003

Fiat rolls out diesel Palio
Fiat India Pvt. Ltd (FIL) today unveiled the diesel version of the Palio and Adventure models, both of which hail from its Project 178 family. "This signifies 178`s debut in the diesel segment,`` Mr Alberto Montanari, Chairman & Managing Director, FIL, said. The cars sport a 1.9-litre `D-Tech` engine, capable of 63 bhp and 12.2 kg torque. It has been tested for over 3,00,000 km and can comply with Euro III norms.

Business Line, New Delhi, March 13, 2003, Page No. 2

Indian auto industry close to global standards
There is a quality revolution in the light vehicles industry so much so that the gap between the Indian and the global light vehicles industry is narrowing down, according to an official of J.D. Power, the international firm that undertakes quality and customer satisfaction, and other studies on the automobile industry. There is definitely maturity in the Indian automobile industry with great impact on quality, according to Mr Gerrit Kuyntjes, General Manager, Singapore office, J.D. Power Asia Pacific.

Business Line, New Delhi, March 13, 2003, Page No. 2

Daimler testing fuel-cell cars
Daimler Chrysler AG said that it had received government certification in Japan for its fuel-cell car and had begun road tests. The automaker will start leasing the F-Cell passenger car, based on the Mercedes A -Class model to customers in Japan starting in the second half of this year, the company said.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, B2, March 12, 2003

Ethanol doped petrol deadline off
The government has postponed the deadline for supply of ethanol-doped petrol in nine states and 4 UTs to June 30, 2003, petroleum minister Ram Naik said. Speaking at the 37th AGM of AIDA Mr Naik said that this had been done in view of the short supply in ethanol. The earlier deadline for beginning of ethanol-doped petrol was January 1, 2003.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, March 12, 2003, Page No. 5

Pilot projects to promote bio-diesel
The Union Agriculture Ministry will soon come out with an action plan to launch pilot projects in different areas of the country to promote use of bio-diesel as an alternative fuel. This was stated by the agriculture minister, Ajit Singh, while addressing the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of his ministry. The committee also discussed the prospects of oilseeds, oil bearing trees and bio-fuels.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 12, 2003, Page No. 12

Smoke-emitting vehicles to be checked
The director general, environment, (Pakistan) Shafiq Ahmad Khoso, has said his department has submitted a scheme to Islamabad for approval to ensure implementation of laws against smoke-emitting vehicles. He was talking to members of trade and industry at the Hyderabad Chamber and Commerce and Industry conference hall. He said he had held a detailed meeting with the DIG, traffic, regarding action against smoke-emitting vehicles.

Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, March 11, 2003

U.S. and EU struggling on hydrogen-power plan
As part of the Bush administration's recent high-profile push to develop hydrogen as the fuel of the future, the U.S. Energy Department and the European Union have agreed to start a cooperative effort aimed at bringing hydrogen-powered cars and electricity generated from fuel cells to market over the next two decades.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, March 11, 2003, Page No. 15

Ethanol laced petrol by March-end
Maharashtra, by March-end, would become the second state after Uttar Pradesh to sell ethanol doped petrol at all retail outlets, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said. "Petrol doped with 5 per cent ethanol will be sold at all petrol stations in Maharashtra by March end," Naik said at the 37th annual general meeting of the All India Distillers Association in New Delhi.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 11, 2003, Page No. 2

Nissan playing catch-up in fuel cell vehicles
Nissan Motor Co. has forged an arrangement to jointly develop fuel cells with the United Technologies Corp. group of the U.S. in order to speed up commercialization of fuel cell vehicles, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.

The Nikkei Weekly, Tokyo, March 10, 2003, Page No. 9

Hydrogen fuel is clean, but preparing it for use is a messy undertaking
On the afternoon that President Bush proposed a $1.7 billion, five-year federal subsidy for hydrogen research in a speech last month, he ws photographed smiling in front of the 'HyWire', a prototype car from General Motors Corp. The car is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, a device the auto industry and the U.S. government are heavily promoting for its potential to clean the air, curb global warming and reduce reliance on foreign oil.

The Asian Wall Street Journal, Hong Kong, March 10, 2003, Page No. 1

Plan to reduce vehicular pollution
The Environment protection department, Pakistan, has presented a five-year action plan to the government for reduction in vehicular pollution in four major cities of the Punjab. The EPD has suggested a ban on import, manufacture and grant of route permits to two-stroke engine public service vehicles, specially auto-rickshaw in Lahore, Multan, Islamabad and Faisalabad, from July next.

Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, March 10, 2003

Study finds hybrid cars greener than hydrogen cars
Hybrid cars, which combine electric motors with small petroleum engines, will outpace the environmental benefits of hydrogen fuel cell cars until at least 2020, according to a university study. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have low emissions and energy use on the road, but converting a hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas or gasoline into hydrogen to fuel such vehicles uses substantial energy and emits greenhouse gases, the study said. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology study was published after the Bush administration announced in January an initiative to develop hydrogen fuel cells. Combined with last year`s government-industry "Freedom Car" program to build vehicles fueled by hydrogen, the initiative will be powered by $1.2 billion in government funds.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, March 10, 2003

Kolar mechanic comes up with low-cost moped
A Kolar mechanic has come up with a prototype of a battery-run pollution-free, low cost moped.The mechanic, Syed Sajjid Ahmed, has come up with the prototype of a noiseless, economical two-wheeler which runs on two batteries of 12 volt and 42 ampere each. Ahmed has removed the engine and strapped up the batteries to his TVS moped. ''Either one can convert the old vehicle, or can manufacture a new moped,'' says the mechanic.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, March 09, 2003, Page No. 4

CBI to probe fitness certificate racket
Transport Minister Ajay Maken has ordered a CBI inquiry into an alleged scandal wherein auto-rickshaw owners were being extorted for fitness certificates of retrofitting of CNG kits. Some auto unions had complained that dealers were charging Rs 3,600 as handling fee to ensure fitness certificates were issued. They also alleged that department officials were not issuing certificates to those who didn't pay the handling charges.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 07, 2003, Page No. 3

Government bans fresh RTV registrations
Transport department of the Delhi government has decided to put ban on the fresh registration of RTVs in the city. A notification in this regard will soon be announced by the department. The reason behind this decision is an unexpected increase in the numbers of RTVs in the city beyond expectations. According to a rough estimate there are around 5,000 RTVs in the city whereas on the basis of routes their number should be around 1,800.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, March 07, 2003, Page No. 9

Diesel consumption on the decrease since 1999
The transformation of fuel to Compress Natural Gas in the national Capital has replaced approximately 531 kiloliters of diesel and 315 kiloliters of petrol, the Lok Sabha was informed. Replying to the written questions, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Santosh Gangwar said that so far, the CNG had been introduced in transport sector in Delhi and Mumbai only.

The Tribune, New Delhi, March 07, 2003, sp3

CNG stations to get smart
Indraprastha Gas Limited is planning to introduce smart cards on the lines of credit cards for use by CNG consumers, which primarily comprise public transport vehicles. However, in the beginning the scheme would seek to target private bus owners. The company these days is engaged in negotiations with a leading financial institution for launching credit cards at its filling stations on an experimental basis.

The Hindu, New Delhi, March 06, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

Hydrogen fuel-cell powered cars promise major benefits
The prospect of hydrogen fuel-cell powered cars, highlighted by President Bush in his January 28 State of Union address to Congress, promises the benefits of major reduction in air pollution and U.S. dependence on foreign oil suppliers.

USIS Backgrounder, New Delhi, March 05, 2003

Entire Tata car range to hit European market
Tata Engineering`s full range of passenger cars - - the Indica, the Indigo Sedan and the Indigo Station Wagon - will be available in Europe, in both petrol and diesel versions, from autumn 2003, an official statement related to the company`s unveiling of the new station wagon model at the ongoing Geneva Auto Show, said. The vehicles` engines, both petrol and diesel, are being worked upon to meet Euro-III norms. Export to Europe, of all the three car models, will be in the CBU form.

Business Line, New Delhi, March 05, 2003, Page No. 2

Pollution test must every three months
Every motor vehicle, whether conforming to the Euro II norms or not, plying in NCT of Delhi will have to be tested for pollution every three months. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha that all the vehicles including non-polluting vehicles would have to adhere to the guidelines stipulated under the relevant rules. The minister said on the expiry of one year from the date of its registration, a motor vehicle is required to have a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate as per Rule 115(7) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 read with Rule 99(1) of Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules 1993.

The Tribune, New Delhi, sp3, March 05, 2003

Nissan fuel cells
Nissan Motor plans to jointly develop fuel cells with US aerospace group United Technologies for environmentally friendly vehicles, the Nihon Jeizai Shimbun said. The business daily said Japan's third largest auto maker aims to catch up with rivals in the development of fuel cell vehicles, which run on electricity produced from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, March 05, 2003, Page No. 9

Dumping of commercial vehicles feared
The proposed reduction in the import duty on used commercial vehicles from 30 per cent to 25 per cent in the Budget has raised fears of large-scale dumping from Japan, South Korea and China.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 04, 2003, Page No. 8

Steel, marble factories cause air pollution in Capital
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) (Islamabad, Pakistan) has failed to check increasing air pollution in I-8, I-9 and I-10 sectors, chiefly caused by the steel and marble factories set up in the nearby industrial area. The residents of these sectors have been complaining to the CDA, the environment ministry and the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (PEPA) to take steps to counter the situation, but to no avail.

Dawn (Internet), Pakistan, March 03, 2003

Expedite ethanol manufacture: Naik
The Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ram Naik urged the Tamil Nadu Government to facilitate early commissioning of ethanol manufacturing facilities by sugar mills in the State. The Petroleum Ministry, he said inaugurating an oil jetty of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited was keen on the sugar mills beginning supply of ethanol, for use as a five per cent blend in petrol, by April.

The Hindu, Chennai, March 02, 2003, Page No. 4 & www.hinduonnet.com

H2 for Happy earth
A single chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car - producing only water, not exhaust fumes. This simple reaction has tremendous potential of generating power that humanity is desperately looking for. It`s a new found mantra for companies, especially automobile companies. The advantage of using a hydrogen-burning car is that it emits little pollution as there are no carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, the only by-product from this chemical reaction is water.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, March 02, 2003, Page No. 16

Republican clear skies are toxic clouds to democrats
The Clear Skies initiative, an air quality plan architected by President George W. Bush, was reintroduced in Congress. It drew immediate criticism from Democrats who vowed to fight the administration`s market centered approach to reducing air pollution from power plants. Environmentalists and public health advocates say an analysis with data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates Clear Skies could mean more than 100,000 unnecessary premature deaths between now and 2020, deaths that would be avoided if the current Clean Air Act was enforced.

Environment News Service, US, February 28, 2003

The coolest car ever costs only $5 million
To understand how we might bolster our national security aside from invading Iraq, I'm on a General Motors test track here in Arizona, driving the coolest car you've never seen. It's called Hy-wire,and it's one of a kind prototype: a four door sedan fueled by hydrogen capable of speeds of 100 miles an hour, whisper- quiet and emitting no pollution at all -only water vapor as exhaust. It looks like a spaceship, with glass all around and no pedals or steering wheel. Jeff Wolak, the engineer who travels with Hy-wire and mothers it, explained that it is drive-by-wire, controlled by electronics and computers rather than cables and hydraulics. To accelerate, you rotate the handgrips. To steer, you move the grips up or down.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 28, 2003, Page No. 7

New pollution data come as a breath of fresh air
There may be a silver lining emerging from the smog of pollution that covers the Mumbai city. A comparison of air pollution data, measured at five street sites, shows that average levels of certain pollutants have significantly dropped over the last two years. Specifically, monthly average levels of sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide have fallen between 2000 and 2003 in all five air monitoring stations. Experts suggest this could be due to improvements in fuel quality, like the introduction of low sulphur diesel, and new vehicles on the road.

The Times of India, Mumbai, February 26, 2003, Page No. 4

Reva car hits road block in Andhra Pradesh
With the number of four-wheelers and two wheelers increasing every year and thereby contributing to pollution, the Andhra Pradesh state government, which is exploring various options, might consider promoting the use of electric cars which do not cause any air pollution. The importance of electric vehicles in cutting down air pollution was explained by managing director of Reva cars Chetan Maini at a lecture on technology conducted by Administrative staff college of India.

Newstime, Hyderabad, February 26, 2003, Page No. 3

CNG stations face hurdle to facilitate increased demand
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in the in Dhaka city are facing troubles as they can hardly cope with the pressure of providing fuel to the existing CNG-run vehicles and newly added users everyday. It is estimated that there are nearly 10 thousand vehicles using CNG.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, February 23, 2003, Page No. 1

Govt plans 'green' cess on diesel variant
If implemented, it would be a cess with a difference. The government is planning a cess of Re 1 per litre on a diesel variant called light diesel oil (LDO) which is traditionally used in low speed compression engines found in small generators and small power plants. The cess is aimed at checking adulteration of this diesel variant with high speed diesel (HSD) which is used in engines of cars, tractors etc. The adulteration of the traditional diesel with the light variety also causes high degree of pollution and hence the effort of the government to discourage adulteration through changes in the tax structure would also reduce pollution.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 22, 2003, Page No. 11

US pollution lawsuit
Seven states in the US have filed a joint lawsuit against the Bush administration for its alleged neglect in regulating carbon dioxide emissions, the states said in a statement.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 22, 2003, Page No. 6

Norway failing over emissions
Norway has much catching up to do with regard to reducing its emissions of NOx, VOCs and ammonia, according to the country’s national office of statistics. The organisation is calling for cuts of 30 and 50% respectively for the two pollutants by 2010. New figures for 2001 show that emissions of VOCs had risen compared to the previous year’s statistics, with only a slight decrease in the country’s NOx emissions. The latter, minor success, was mostly due to reduced flaring in the oil fields and declining activity in manufacturing of ferro-alloys.

Edie (Internet), UK, February 21, 2003

CII sees adverse impact on pollution
Adopting a critical approach towards recent announcements by the Union Urban Development Minister, Ananth Kumar, on the issue of allowing industries in some non-conforming areas of Delhi, the Confederation of Indian Industry, Northern Region, has in its Pre-Budget Memorendum 2003-04 presented to Delhi Government stated that "the phenomenal growth of industries in non-conforming areas " has led to severe adverse impact on the environment of Delhi and health of the residents. In the memorendum, the Chairman of CII’s Delhi State Council Ravi Sinha, said air pollution is responsible for 40 per cent of the emergency hospital admissions of patients with breathing and heart problems.

The Hindu, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, Page No. 4

Maken demands stringent emission norms for diesel cars:
Transport Minister Ajay Maken on Thursday met the Minister for Road Transport and Highways G C Khanduri on Thursday and demanded stringent emission norms for diesel passenger cars in the Capital. Mr Maken said that the number of diesel cars was growing in the city but the Union Ministry`s proposal does not specify in-use emission norms for these vehicles. "These can be highly polluting especially if their after-treatment devices do not function effectively. I would request specification of in-use emission norms and testing procedures for this category urgently. We propose that these vehicles should be subjected to tests immediately and therefore we need specific emission norms of Carbon Monoxide and Nox for these vehicles," Maken said in his letter.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, Page No. 3

Delhi goes to Centre for stricter emission norms:
In a move that could have long-term implications, Delhi government has asked the Union Road Transport Ministry to issue stricter emission norms for automobiles. The recommendations, if accepted, may drastically reduce air pollution in the city since almost 70 per cent of the pollution is caused by vehicles, especially the old ones. Steps taken to control pollution, like introduction of CNG and implementation of Euro norms, have only affected new vehicles which are few. About 300 Pollution Under Control (PUC) testing centres in Delhi measure only the carbon monoxide emission, leaving out a host of other polluting gases.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, 3supp

Hi-tech inspection units to rein in polluting vehicles:
Delhi government has decided to set up two new state-of-the-art vehicle inspection and maintenance units in Okhla and Najafgarh which will have facilities to enforce stricter pollution control norms. Plans are also afoot to modernise the existing vehicle fitness unit in Burari, North Delhi. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will be appointed consultants in the project, government officials said. "The present pollution checking norms in vehicles have been found to be highly inadequate. The new units will help to rectify this, "Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken told mediapersons today.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, 3supp

TB cases on the rise:
Despite all efforts made by the health authorities, the number of tuberculosis cases in Ganaur subdivision has gone up to 392, according to the Senior Medical officer, Dr J.P. Aggarwal. The main causes for this upward trend were increasing air pollution due to release of poisonous smoke through brick-kiln chimneys and industries’ furnaces besides lack of awareness among the people about the causes and preventive measures of this dreaded disease, Dr Aggarwal said.

The Tribune, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, sp2

Industry pleads for easing of pollution board consent:
The Gurgaon Industrial Association made a plea to the Haryana Government for an amendment to the state’s 1999 industrial policy to exempt more units from the rigours of obtaining "consent" from the Pollution Control Board. GIA president J.N. Mangla lamented that the present policy does not permit installation of a generator having more than 10 KVA capacity by a unit to be exempted from obtaining consent from the Pollution Control Board.

The Tribune, New Delhi, February 21, 2003, sp2

Auto strike brings pollution levels down:
The ongoing auto strike no doubt has caused a lot of inconvenience to the people. But, it has reduced pollution levels in the Hyderabad city. The respirable suspended particulate matter at Abids came down to 98 micro grams per meter cube when the autos went off the road compared to 134 mgmc on Feb 17. The results, after the 80,000 plus auto drivers in the city had gone on strike, were encouraging. At four other places too where the Pollution Control Board measures the pollution, the levels came down.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, February 20, 2003, sp1

Tokyo buses to reduce emissions:
All diesel-engine buses owned by major bus operators in Tokyo will be equipped with devices to cut diesel emissions by the end of June, Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara announced. The Tokyo Bus Association, whose 91 members operate 8,400 buses, will introduce devices to cut particulate matter emissions to 3,600 of the 4,600 diesel-engine buses in their fleets by the end of June, Ishihara told a regular news conference held in the metropolitan government building. The remaining 1,000 will either be scrapped or replaced with newer vehicles.

Japan Times (Internet), Japan, February 20, 2003

Delhi now has a health farm for automobiles:
Like our ageing bodies our cars over time collect an assortment of age-related problems. Pollutants get past the air filters and turn into hard lumps that reduce the efficiency of the airflow, the intake valves and the carburetor jets or MPFI injectors. The cooling system collects dirt that gradually clogs the radiators and water pumps.

The Times of India, New Delhi, February 20, 2003, Page No. 5(s)

Hydrogen as future fuel for cars:
One big advantage of the futuristic hydrogen burning car is that it produces little pollution. There are no carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, the only by-product from the chemical reaction is water. There are some oxides of nitrogen that are produced from the nitrogen in the air, as well as minimal hydro carbon emissions that emanate from the traces of lubricants present in the combustion chambers of the engine. The second way to fuel a car with hydrogen involves using hydrogen as fuel cell to produce the electricity for an electric powered car.

The Tribune, New Delhi, February 20, 2003, Page No. 14

SUVs lead U.S. agency's polluters list:
Automakers are obsessed with ratings, from customer satisfaction to how many hours it takes workers to assemble a car. But there is at least one list many do not like to take about. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates every vehicle according to the amount of pollutants coming out of the tailpipe that contribute to smog, which can worsen asthma and lead to cancer and lung cancer.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 19, 2003, Page No. 13

No entry of old lorries to City from ORR soon:
The Karnataka state government has asked the transport commissioner to take steps to ban the entry of old transport and commercial vehicles to Bangalore city from the Outer Ring Road in three phases starting from July 1 this year. In the first phase, the entry of transport vehicles, which are more than 20-year-old, will be banned from July 1. In the second phase, the entry of vehicles which are more than 17-year-old will be banned from October 1, 2003 and in the third phase, the entry of vehicles which are more than 15-year-old will be banned from June 1, 2004, states an official release here today.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, February 18, 2003, Page No. 3

Now pay £5 charge to enter central London:
The world’s biggest congestion charge scheme swung into action in Central London with cyclists celebrating and motorists fuming. The eyes of the world are fixed on the London scheme which dwarfs those in Oslo, Singapore and Mexico city as clogged city roads and lung choking pollution become hot political topics. In a huge urban surveillance scheme, 800 cameras at 400 points in and around an eight square mile chunk of the city centre will monitor the licence plates of the 250,000 motorists who drive in the area every day.

Business Standard, New Delhi, February 18, 2003, Page No. 1

Watching London's traffic:
This Monday (17th Feb) Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London whose politics were once so far to the left that he was known as Red Ken, will put in place a traffic reduction policy lifted directly from Milton Friedman, the doyen of conservative market economists. The plan is variation on the theory of 'congestion pricing ', the application of market forces to control traffic. People who wish to drive into a 10-square mile (26-square-kilometer) area in central London will have to pay $8 per day for the privilege, on top of parking.(Editorial)

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 17, 2003, Page No. 8

London driver, toll is for thee:
Gray London is a long from the sunny Riviera, but sales of Italian scooters are careering along like out-of-control Vespas. ‘We did double in January what we did last year’, said George Dennison, the owner of Scooterden a chain of London shops’. ‘Normally we’d be sitting on our hands at this time of year, now it’s bedlam. The reason, Dennison said is the ‘congestion charge’ about to be levied on London motorists. Scooters – along with taxis, emergency vehicles and cars using alternative fuel- will be exempt, but other motorists will have to pay Euro 25 ($40) weekly, starting simply for the privilege of entering an 8-square-mile area of the city center during working hours.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 15, 2003, Page No. 1

Breathless on Amdavad streets`:
Did you know that Ahmedabad loses approximately Rs 100 crore every year because of fuel wasted at traffic junctions? Did you know that 2979 people die premature deaths because of pollution every year in the city? Did you know that Ahmedabad is the fourth most polluted city in the country after Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata? There are more than 13 lakh vehicles on Ahmedabad roads, of which eight lakh are two wheelers. Assuming that one third of the total vehicles halt for 15 minutes a day at traffic junctions, the total number of hours spend will be 365 lakh hours. ‘Which means 365 lakh litres of fuel is wasted and the cost comes to around Rs 100 cr oe’, explains DCP Traffic K K Ojha.

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, February 15, 2003, Page No. 7(s)

Andheri gas pipeline catches fire:
A big fire lit up a leak in the CNG pipeline of Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) on Jumbo Darshan Road near Sahar airport (Mumbai)at 6.10 pm. The fire brigade from the airport reached the spot promptly to find flames leaping up to height of 10 metres.

The Indian Express, Mumbai, February 14, 2003, Page No. 2(s)

Green signal for Mumbai Urban Transport Project:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its nod for the execution of the first phase of the Rs 3125.20-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project, for which the World Bank has agreed to sanction a loan of Rs 1,613,07 crore. Though the entire project consists of 14 rail projects, only nine would be taken up in the first phase. The pollution level would be reduced because EMU services running in Mumbai being on electric traction contribute hardly any pollutants. Noise pollution will also come down due to induction of new technology rakes.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 14, 2003, Page No. 13

SUVs lead U.S. agency’s polluters list:
Automakers are obsessed with ratings, from customer satisfaction to how many hours it takes workers to assemble a car. But there is at least one list many do not like to take about. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates every vehicle according to the amount of pollutants coming out of the tailpipe that contribute to smog, which can worsen asthma and lead to cancer and lung cancer.

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 19, 2003

Peugeto steers clear of fuel cells:
PSA Peugeto Citroen damped the prospects for environmentally -friendly fuel cell vehicles as the French carmaker said it was concentrating its research on gasoline-electric cars. Jean-Martin Folz, chief executive, said the technical barriers to fuel cell development meant hydrogen powered cars would not be a commercial reality for at least 15 years.

Financial Times, London, February 13, 2003, Page No. 16

Hopes about alternatives to petrol:
Triggered in last some years mostly by environmental factors as also due to threats of war being held out by USA on Iraq. Researchers expended their energy to find alternative ways to power automobiles, like ethanol and methanol. But the extent to which the alternatives could replace oil in energy sectors apart from transportation is unclear.

Newstime, Hyderabad, February 11, 2003, Page No. 8

CNG odourised to detect leaks:
Odourless Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) will now smell like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) so that its leakage can be detected immediately. Being a highly inflammable gas, CNG leakage in the past would often be evident only when the bus had already caught fire. Several buses have been gutted due to CNG leakage. Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken announced on Monday that the odourised CNG is available in the Capital except the trans-Yamuna area where it would be available by the month-end.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 11, 2003, Page No. 5

CNG buses:
The entire fleet of buses at Delhi Transport Corporation's (DTC) Shadipur Depot have been replaced with CNG buses. The fleet now comprises 50 CNG buses which would ply on city roads and other routes of National Capital Region.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, February 11, 2003, Page No. 2

Road safety clubs for schools, new CNG ground rules:
In a move to make the roads in the Capital safe, the Delhi Government has adopted new safety standards for the CNG buses and mooted the idea of road safety clubs to ensure safety of school buses in the city. Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken said to ensure that the 750 converted DTC buses operating currently on the city's roads meet the new norms, the Delhi Government had entrusted the inspection of the buses to an independent body. "Though LPG and CNG buses are running in several states of the country, Delhi is the only state which has carried out a thirty party inspection of its buses," he said. He said some international experts on CNG, commissioned by the Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment, to carry out an independent survey of CNG implementation in Delhi, had, on inspecting many CNG buses, found them to be meeting the latest safety norms.

The Tribune, New Delhi, sp1, February 11, 2003

SUVs on collision course:
The 1990s economic boom, combined with cheap gasoline, turned sport utility vehicles into one of America's hottest-selling cars as well as the automobile industry's most profitable product. Now, it appears, Europeans are catching the SUV bug. Sales in Europe have shot up, and at least one manufacturer, Ford, has designed a version targeted at European buyers. Most of the criticism, however, remains focused on the vehicles' environmental costs and the huge contribution they make to America's groign dependence on imported oil. And properly so. SUVs produce, on average, 40 percent more carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas, than ordinary American cars (Editorial).

International Herald Tribune, Bangkok, February 10, 2003, Page No. 8

Premature dash for hydrogen would not be beneficial for environment:
A premature 'dash for hydrogen' to fuel vehicles, using up the world's renewable energy resources to produce the gas would not be environmentally beneficial, according to a new study by researchers in the UK. At the end of last month, US President George W Bush announced that he would be pushing for an additional US$1.2 billion for research into hydrogen fuel. But at the same time, UK researchers are warning that the development of the hydrogen economy - in particular how hydrogen is produced - needs to be carefully thought out if there are to be environmental benefits.

Edie (Internet), UK, February 07, 2003

Hyundai, Ford join hands with 4 others for cell project:
South Korean auto maker Hyundai Motor said it has teamed up with its five international rivals including Ford Motor on a project to develop enhanced fuel systems for fuel cells vehicles. Hyundai saids team which also includes Toyota Motor, DaimlerChrysler, Nissan and PSA Peugeot-Citroen, would cooperate in developing high pressure hydrogen fuel systems, capable of storing more compressed gas at vehicles.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, February 07, 2003, Page No. 14

State chokes on polluting vehicles:
Unable to implement its decision to condemn 15 year old vehicles to curb raising vehicular pollution in urban areas, the Andhra Pradesh state government has urged the Centre to consider waiver of taxes on purchase of new vehicles to replace the old ones. This was conveyed by the state officials to the Union Surface Transport Ministry officials at the Transport Development Council meeting.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, February 05, 2003, Page No. 1

Ethanol blend: Study group presentation today:
The study group on the use of ethanol blends and other bio-fuels in petrol and diesel vehicles will make a presentation in the Planning Commission, with the participation of Ministers involved in the exercise, here on Tuesday. Official sources told that an inter-ministerial committee was set up by the Prime Minister`s Office in April 2001with representatives from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) and Food and Public Distribution, among others, to recommend measures for the accelerated utilisation of ethanol-doped gasoline in the country`s transport sector.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 05, 2003

CNG is best option for Mumbai, says study:
Is converting transport vehicles to fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG) really the best way to reduce vehicular pollution? Despite some expressing doubts, it just might be so, according to a new study that sizes up different passenger transport options for reducing vehicular emissions. The study, conducted by environmental engineer Sudhakar Yedla, Jyoti Parikh and other scientists at Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, found that CNG and battery-operated three-wheelers, as well as CNG cars were the most effective options for reducing emission in Mumbai.

The Times of India, Mumbai, February 3, 20 03

CNG conversion firms raided:
The six main companies responsible for fitting compressed natural gas kits in more than 4,000 diesel buses were raided over the past month by the anti-evasion unit of the Central Excise Department. The evasion amount is expected to cross Rs. 10 crores. It is learnt that the six companies Rare Fuel, Green Fuel, VIP Belt, DD Industries, M/S Agro and New Gas Tech have been found guilty of evading the 16 per cent excise duty liable on them.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 29, 2003, Page No. 3 & www.hinduonnet.com

Clean air our gift: Sheila:
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says clean air is her Cabinet`s gift to the people of NCT of Delhi. Generations to come, Mrs Dikshit told the city on the eve of Republic Day, will benefit from the considerable reduction in pollution. And that, she explains, owes in no small measure to the introduction of environment friendly Compressed Natural Gas fuel for buses, autorickshaws and taxis and electricity propelled Delhi metro.

The Tribune, New Delhi, January 26, 2003, Page No. 1,

Engine master to conserve fuel:
If you want to reduce the pollution caused by your two wheeler and to improve its fuel conservation capacity, you can install `Engine Master-the fuel conditioner` developed by GSK Choudhary of Fortune Makers Medi-care Private Limited, Hyderabad on the fuel supply line of your vehicle. The device based on the theory of magnetic resonance, has already been tested on six auto rickshaws in the city. It had resulted in reduction in pollution and conservation of fuel by 17 to 33 per cent.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, sp1, January 24, 2003

Truck owners protest anti-pollution steps:
Owners of trucks and tempos warned that the whole Mumbai city would be affected if 15 –year old heavy commercial vehicles like trucks and buses were forced to go off the road by March-end. The warning came during a dharna held at Carnac Bunder to protest against anti-pollution measures, which, they said, would affect their business. According to the Mumbai high court order on polluting vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles which are over 15 years old are supposed to be phased out by March 31.

The Times of India, Mumbai, January 23, 2003, Page o. 5

`Karanj seed oil can fuel four-wheelers`:
A plant called Karanj, with properties similar to those in diesel, can be used to run four wheelers, power generators and machines. A litre oil extracted from the seeds of this plant can keep the engine running for about an hour in an idle condition. On road, the fuel promises 12 kmpl, on par with diesel. These claims were demonstrated at a news conference convened by Janardhan Reddy, director of Vikas Vahini, an NGO working on an Indian Council of Agricultural Research sponsored programme in Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh and other districts.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, January 22, 2003, Page No. 3

CNG workshop this week:
A six-day training programme on safety issues surrounding maintenance and inspection of CNG filling stations and onboard storage cylinders will be held in the Capital this week. The training involves overview of policy and decision-making on matters of inspection, maintenance and safety with a special focus on CNG. It will be followed by classroom and floor training.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, January 22, 2003

Continuing malpractice:
The dramatic detection of adulteration of petrol with naptha at a petrol station in Bangalore shows that the fuel adulteration racket in Karnataka is still alive. The City Crime Branch sleuths kept a vigil on a petrol bunk and an oil tanker, and caught the petrol station men redhanded while they were adulterating petrol.....Editorial.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, January 21, 2003, Page No. 8

Get ready to go electric:
Delhi seems to be on its way towards obtaining a fleet of electric vehicles for public transport. The transport ministry is contemplating introducing battery-powered three and eight-seater vehicles in select pockets of the city. As a fiscal incentive, the government has decided to waive off sales tax on these electric vehicles, Delhi transport minister Ajay Maken said. The fiscal incentive is part of efforts to promote usage of "zero-emission" vehicles in the National Capital Region.

The Times of India, New Delhi, January 21, 2003, Page No. 5

No more waiting outside CNG stations:
The long, serpentine queues of autos and buses outside the CNG stations will nowhere to be found in the Capital. This is not any tall claim made by the Government, but is a dream which is slowly coming towards reality. The credit goes to the efforts of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL). Recently, the IGL, the sole supplier of the CNG in the Capital, commissioned its 103rd station at the Hari Nagar Bus Depot. Speaking to The Pioneer, Mr A K Dey, managing director, IGL, said, "By June 2003, the number of CNG stations will increase to 110."

The Pioneer, New Delhi, January 21, 2003, Page No. 3

Emission test mandatory from February:
Vehicle emission tests in the country will become mandatory starting this February according to the road safety and transport authority (RSTA).The national environment commission (NEC) has set emission standards that must be met by Bhutan`s estimated 26,000 vehicles.

Kuensel, Bhutan, January 18, 2003, Page No. 3

Trouble down the road as opinion shifts for the darling of Detroit:
The all-American utility vehicle has suffered a barrage of attacks from environmentalists and road-safety experts. While changing sentiment has yet to show up in sales, carmakers are ready to adapt. In north-western Pennsylvania this month, a radical environmental group claimed responsibility for starting a fire that destroyed two SUVs and two pickup trucks. A recent television advertisement this month declared:' Oil money supports some terrible things. What kind of mileage does your SUV get? The advertisement part of a campaign organised by columnist Arianna Huffington -seeks to link the gas guzzlers to terrorism.

Financial Times, New Delhi, January 18, 2003, Page No. 7

Mexico 'could retaliate' over US truck ban:
Mexico could retaliate against US appeals court blocked the openin gof American highways to Mexican truck until the government reviewed the trucks' impact on the environment. The ruling by the US Court of Appeals in San Francisco effectively suspends an announcement in November by President George W.bush giving Mexican trucks access to US highways as stipulated under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Financial Times, London, January 18, 2003, Page No. 4

U.S. court bars Mexican trucks pending an environmental study:
A U.S. appeals court blocked President Bush`s plans to open all American highways to Mexican trucks, ruling that the administration could not open the roads until it conducted a study of how the trucks would affect the environment. The court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, concluded that the government had acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" by deciding to open the borders to tens of thousands of Mexican trucks without conducting an environmental review. The National Environmental Policy Act requires such reviews for all government actions that might significantly affect the environment.

New York Times (Internet), New York, January 18, 2003

Breathe easy, California shows how:
The stories of the smog in California in the fifties are legendary: Rubberbands would snap, nylon stockings would get eaten away and tyres would crack. Today, California's effort to clean up its air has become an example. This afternoon, Delhi decided to take a leaf out of California's success when chairman, California Air Resources Board (CARB) Alan C. Lloyd met Transport Minister Ajay Maken and others in charge of keeping the city's air clean.Delhi would soon be signing an MoU with CARB to share information and know-how on every aspect of air pollution. "From California's experience, we know we can skip several steps and avoid going through some of trouble they went through," said Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain, who had organised the interface today.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, January 18, 2003

Adequate ethanol only after 3-4 months:
Sugar industry is likely to reach the required ethanol production capacity to meet the demand for the product as a blending component with petrol only after three months. Industry sources said the 5 per cent mandatory blending of ethanol with petrol created demand for 360 million litres. Supply was short of this at the moment. Sources added the industry was in the process of setting up distilleries required for conversion of alcohol to ethanol through water extraction.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 17, 2003, Page No. 11

Pollution check may become yearly: Maken:
The Delhi government suggested that a pollution under control check could be made an annual affair instead of the present 'once every six months'. At the thirtieth Transport Development Council meeting, Mr Ajay Maken said' As there will be fewer number of emission testing centres, their supervision will be tighter and quality far superior.

The Statesman, New Delhi, January 17, 2003, Page No. 3

York seeks EPA waiver from clean gasoline rules:
New York state has asked the Bush administration for a waiver from federal rules that require cleaner-burning reformulated gasoline to be sold in the New York City metropolitan area. The state is worried about using reformulated gasoline containing the fuel additives MTBE, which can contaminate underground drinking water, or ethanol, which is difficult to transport to the Northeast.New York`s Department of Environmental Conservation asked the Environmental Protection Agency last week for the waiver that would take effect Jan. 1, 2004.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, January 16, 2003

Pollution test must, and now in 15 min:
Delhi government is planning to make possession of computerised Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates mandatory for vehicle owners soon. A computerisation drive is on and 223 of the 500-odd pollution testing centres in the city have already been computerised. Under the new system, getting a new certificate would take all of 15 minutes. The new certificate will have a photograph of the vehicle, the gas analyser readings and the vehicle owner's signature.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 1supp, January 16, 2003

Bio-diesel to be used in trains:
The research in the use of bio-diesel in place of normal diesel fuel is in advanced stage at the Lucknow-based Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO). The Railways annually consume nearly Rs 3400 crore of diesel oil which is mostly imported. By blending 5-20% with indigenously produced plant extract called bio-diesel, the Railways planned to save around Rs 300 to Rs 400 of foreign exchange.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, 2supp, January 15, 2003

Free pollution check camp:
On the concluding day of the road safety week programmes Tata Engineering organised a two day free pollution check camp at National highway Gangyal Jammu. In addition to free pollution check of the vehicles drivers were also educated about the basics of environment friendly driving and road safety.

The Kashmir Times, Jammu, January 13, 2003, Page No. 12

Computerised pollution check compulsory:
The Delhi Government has decided to make computerised pollution under control certificates (PUCC) mandatory for vehicles registered in Delhi. The decision follows a report submitted by the transport department, which said over 50 per cent of the vehicles that had pollution under control certificates were polluting. The decision will be enforced as soon as the government gets permission to extend the PUCC`s term from three to six months. The certificate will cost Rs 50.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 13, 2003, Page No. 1

Passenger vehicles Mfd from Jan 1 quietly meeting new noise norms:
All passengers cars, two and three wheelers manufactured from January 1. 2003 are meeting the new noise norms notified by ministry of environment and forests.These norms-5 to 7 dB(A)- are tighter than the norms of September 2000.This tightening of noise is quite significant, considering the fact that 3 dB(A) reduction reduces the noise levels by half. The norms were almost similar to current norms in Europe, a release said.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 11, 2003, Page No. 3

Green and bare it:
Every dark colud they say, has silage lining. In Delhi, last year's dark clouds could have a 'green lining' Literally. We have been waiting for the greening of Delhi for while. And in 2003, just as the auto-rickshaw strike threatened to go out of control, three was some good news for people who use the public transport system and for those who want their city to be less polluted. This year 1000 buses using CNG or compressed natural gas, a less polluting fuel, will be added to the fleet. No organization in the world has as many buses running on CNG as the Delhi Transport Corporation. Delhi has 2241 and the first 100 of the thousand to be added this year have just joined the fleet. As the chief minister Sheila Dikshit always an optimist said: 'By the end of January, we will have 500 more CNG buses on the roads. By April, there will be 1000 of them'.

The Statesman, New Delhi, January 09, 2003, Page No. 1(s)

GM considering diesels for N. American SUVs:
General Motors Corp. (GM.N) is considering offering diesel engines on its sport utility vehicles sold in North America to help boost fuel economy, a top company official said. GM is expanding capacity for its diesel engines on its full-size pickup trucks sold in North America, and could also offer them on their large sport utility vehicles to consumers wishing to save money on fuel, said Gary Cowger, head of GM`s North American operations.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, January 08, 2003

GM may build 1 m gas-electric vehicles by 2007:
General Motors Corp said it will be able to built as many as 1 million gasoline-electric cars and trucks annually by 2007 to compete against similar fuel-efficient vehicles sold by competitors. The world`s largest automaker will introduce three types of the so-called hybrid systems in at least seven high-volume vehicles starting with the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups in late 2003, said Mr Larry Burns, General Motors Vice-President of Research, Development and Planning.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 07, 2003, Page No 3

Valley to have electronic air-pollution indicators:
Worried about the Kathmandu's worsening air-quality? Take heart, though you may, or may not be able to clean the air you breathe in, at least you will be able to know the level of polluted air you are intaking. Come February end, you will be privileged to read the level of air pollution in different parts of Kathmandu, Bhaktpur, and Lalitpur in the Valley.

The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, January 07, 2003, Page No. 14

Pollution campaign bears fruit:
The traffic police campaign against polluting vehicles on Hyderabad city roads appears to have paid dividends if one were to go by the marginal dip in pollution levels five days after the campaign was launched on January 2. Though the drop in pollution levels is not very significant, it is notable considering the short period of five days. According to pollution authorities, a significant drop in pollution levels may be seen only if the campaign is sustained for a definite period of time.

Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, January 07, 2003, Page No. 10

Ousted 2 stroke, 3 wheelers polluting Manikganj:
Most of the two stroke tempos and three wheelers driven out from Dhaka city have occupied the roads in the Manikganj district town causing serious sound and air pollution.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, January 06, 2003, Page No. 6

Only 500 CNG-run autos to be allowed to ply on city roads:
The Bangladesh government banned 19075 two stroke three wheelers in two phases but imposed a limit of CNG-run four stroke auto-rickshaws to 5000 to ply on the city roads, Actually more than 65000 two stroke auto-rickshaws went off the city streets.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, January 06, 2003, Page No. 16

Autos main contributor to pollution in A'bad : Experts:
The Ahmedabad's traffic problem is all set to worsen if steps are not initiated immediately to take some burden off the already crammed roads. The population of Greater Ahmedabad is likely cross the seven million-mark by 2011 from the present five million. And this will only worsen the traffic problem that city is now facing, feared exerts during a discussion on 'Transport system in Ahmedabad : Challenges ahead'.

The Times of India, Ahmedabad, January 06, 2003, Page No. 5

Sale of ethanol mixed petrol postponed:
It is official now. The sale of anhydrous ethanol blended petrol in Andhra Pradesh, which was scheduled from January 1 to curb vehicular emissions, has been postponed by six months. According to a notification issued by the Oil Ministry for nine states including Andhra Pradesh two days ago, the eco friendly fuel would be made available only in Gokavaram town in East Godavari district in the State.

The New Indian Express, Hyderabad, January 06, 2003, Pgae No. 3

Truckers withdraw strike, Govt gives more time to enforce ban:
The Lorry Owners Association have called off their four-day old truck strike on Saturday following assurances from the government that they would allow more time for the ban on 20-year-old trucks to come into force. While the government has made some concessions, Lorry Owners' Association president Shanmugappa told this paper that they had called off the strike as it was affecting life in Bangalore and some parts of the state. ''The government has assured us that 20-year old vehicles would be banned only from July 1, 17-year-old vehicles from Nov 1 and 15 year old vehicles from April 1, 2004.''

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, January 05, 2003, Pgae No. 4

Lorry owner done to death for defying stir:
The on-going trucker's strike took a violent turn with the death of a lorry owner after he was attacked by protesters when he took his truck to road to reach Bangalore from Mulbagal on Thursday night defying the strike even as the talks between government and truckers to end the deadlock failed today. The marathon meeting between the lorry owners' association and Transport Minister Ramanath Rai this evening failed as the government rejected the demand of truckers that they should be given an extension of two years to keep off the 20-year-old transport vehicles from the roads of Bangalore city. Karnataka Lorry Owners' Association Secretary G R Shanmugappa told Deccan Herald after the meeting that the association has decided to continue the indefinite strike.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, January 04, 2003, Page No. 1

Revenue Board mulling CNG wastage revision:
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR), Pakistan, is seriously considering to revise the percentage of compressed natural gas (CNG) wastage at the CNG stations for determination of sales tax. The All Pakistan CNG Station Association has asked the sales tax authorities not to make any downward revision in the CNG wastage percentage. The CBR's move to examine the actual wastage would reduce the profit margin of the CNG industry.

Business Recorder (Internet), Pakistan, January 04, 2003

MGL sets up 45 CNG stations in Mumbai:
Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL), a joint venture between Gas Authority of India Ltd (Gail), British Gas and the government of Maharashtra, announced that it has achieved the target of setting up 45 CNG stations in the city for 2002 as set by the High Court of Mumbai. The CNG expansion drive is in line with the directive passed by the High Court of Mumbai for various category of vehicles such as taxis, autos, transport vehicles of prescribed age limits to either phase out or convert to CNG and LPG.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 04, 2003, Page No.4

HC stays impounding of autos over CNG issue:
The Delhi High Court stayed impounding of those auto-rickshaws in the city which have not been converted into the 'CNG single fuel' mode in the absence of a specific order issued by the government. The court, however, allowed the city government agencies to seize those auto-rickshaws which were not fitted with electronic meters.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 04, 2003, Page No.3

Govt to build cycle tracks across city:
In a move to promote use of the bicycle as an environment friendly mode of transport, the Delhi Government has decided to take up building of cycle tracks across the city. They would be constructed in suitably identified corridors across Delhi. This was decided in a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Ms Shailaja Chandra. However, the implementation of the project is to be based on a feasibility study conducted by Dr Geetam Tiwari from IIT, Delhi. According to the official release, MCD, PWD, DDA and NDMC will jointly decide on the stretches, which would be worthwhile to take up from this study, in a month's time. The Delhi Development Authority has been asked to revise the list of identified track corridors in accordance with the Master Plan, within 15 days.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, January 04, 2003, Page No.3

Every month 3,724 new vehicles enter the city roads:
Last year from 1st April to 31st December, in these nine months 29,466 vehicles were registered in the RTO office at Indore. According to these figures, every month 3,724 new vehicles enter Indore city. The total number of vehicles have risen to 5 lakhs which will not be able to reduce pollution of the city. The people should be made aware to make less use of private vehicles and promote to usage of public vehicles.

Nai Duniya, Indore, January 03, 2003, Page No. 3

Wheels turn on Auto LPG:
Calcutta entered the age of LPG-driven cars, with the launching of the Calcutta city`s and eastern India`s first retail outlet for Indian Oil Corporation`s auto liquefied petroleum gas for vehicles at Prince Anwar Shah road. All the taxis of the city will have to change over to Autogas from diesel soon. Announcing this during the launch, transport minister Subhas Chakraborty said the state government has held talks with Hindustan Motors, manufacturers of Ambassador cars, and the taxi associations in this regard.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, January 03, 2003, Page No. 23

Greens irked by state govt`s refusal to aid transporters:
The Maharashtra government`s refusal to financially aid transporters switching to cleaner vehicles has raised questions about its commitment to the environment. Despite repeated requests from clean air campaigners, the government it still to offer assistance to transporters who are required to opt for cleaner technologies.

The Times of India, Mumbai, January 03, 2003, Page No 2

City cabs to use LPG:
Diesel taxis in Kolkota will have to convert to LPG engines to reduce pollution levels, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, West Bengal transport minister said. He was launching an auto-LPG centre on Prince Anwar Shah Road. This is the first auto LPG centre in eastern India.

The Statesman, Kolkata, I(S), January 03, 2003

Unjustified strike:
The indefinite strike launched by the Karnataka Lorry Owners' Federation in protest against the State Government's decision to ban movement of transport vehicles older than 20 years in City limits has affected some areas of life in Bangalore and other urban areas in the State. If the strike continues it is bound to severely affect the citizens' life in most areas and indications are that the confrontation between the Government and the truck owners will be a prolonged one. In the first two days of the strike movement of goods, foodgrains and construction material has been affected and very soon the supply of essential commodities might be hit...editorial

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, January 03, 2003, Page No 10

Polluting vehicles smoked out:
The traffic police hit pay dirt on the first day of their campaign against polluting vehicles, seizing nearly 500 vehicles and sending them for engine tune-ups to bring down emission levels. Among the polluting vehicles were several government ones, including a car belonging to the Additional Superintendent of Police of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, January 03, 2003, Page No.1

Britain urges motorists to change to cheaper gas:
British Energy Minister Brian Wilson urged motorists to convert their vehicles to use liquefied petroleum gas as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to petrol, particularly as prices rise across Europe. "Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is an option which has already removed thousands of motorists from uncertainty about pump prices. I hope many more motorists will consider it," Wilson said in a statement.

Planet Ark (Internet), Australia, January 03, 2003

PM sanctions metro skybus for Goa:
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has given his nod to the prestigious Rs 350 crore, 'Metro Skybus' project for Goa, linking the commercial town of Mapusa with the state capital.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, January 03, 2002, Page No.2

Ethanol: how Govt's sweetening deal:
Ethanol is in national interest. That's the slogan Petroleum Minister Ram Naik is selling to state governments and oil companies to make what's a novel idea work - blending 5 per cent sugarcane-derived ethanol with petrol. Launching what has been named as Gasonol yesterday in Maharashtra, UP, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh was the easier part. Oil companies, guarding their own interest first, have been quoting steep prices. So, there is a difficult question to be answered: why won't people buy imported ethanol that's cheaper? This one question can derail the swadeshi objective to help sugarcane farmers burdened with more stocks than the sugar mills can use. Of course, it would also save precious foreign exchange to the tune of Rs 80,000 crore used for buying crude oil.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 03, 2003, Page No.1

Excise duty on blended petrol cut 30 paise:
The Government has reduced the excise duty on ethanol-blended petrol by 30 paise per litre. According to a notification issued by the Finance Ministry, the additional excise duty on petrol has been cut from the normal rate of Rs 6 per litre to Rs 5.70 per litre to be sold after blending with ethanol.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 03, 2003, Page No.5

In a CNG quagmire:
Every action has a reaction an axiom that's in evidence in India's capital. Not long ago, the Supreme Court ordered New Delhi's buses, taxis and autorickshaws to switch from using petrol or diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) as a fuel. Pollution levels in the capital dropped sharply. But it also had another consequence: the supply of 0.6 million standard cubic metres of CNG to about 20 industrial units in the national capital region has been terminated.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 03, 2003, Page No.4

First trial run of train on biodiesel:
The Railways is experimenting with the new eco-friendly "biodiesel'' fuel to run passenger trains. The first successful trial run of a superfast passenger train was conducted on December 31, 2002 when Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express used five per cent of "biodiesel'' as fuel. Trial runs using "biodiesel'' are being conducted by the Railways and the first full-fledged run would be formally inaugurated by the Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar, soon, the Railway Board Member (Mechanical), S. Dhasarathy, told.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 03, 2003, Page No.9 & www.hinduonnet.com

Mahanagar Gas expands CNG stations:
Mahanagar Gas has announced that it achieved the target of opening 45 CNG stations in Mumbai by the end of 2002, as set by the High Court of Mumbai. MGL is a joint venture of Gas Authority of India, British Gas and the Maharashtra Government and it expanded the number of CNG stations from 25 to 45.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 03, 2003, Page No.16 & www.hinduonnet.com

CNG run autos charge higher fare:
As the pollutant three-wheelers went off the Dhaka city streets (Bangladesh), unscrupulous CNG-run auto-rickshaw and mishuk drivers started charging exorbitant fare from the passengers. A number of passengers alleged that many CNG-run auto-rickshaw and mishuk drivers charged almost double the actual fare taking the advantage of the complete ban on playing of petrol-driven auto-rickshaws.

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, January 02, 2003, Page No. 12

Bengal Govt, HM in talks on LPG taxi issue:
The West Bengal Government has initiated talks with Hindustan Motors Ltd (HM) for facilitating conversion of taxis that run on diesel into auto LPG-operated ones. Talks in this regard have also been initiated with trade unions which represent taxi owners and operators. Stating this at a function held here today under the aegis of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) to mark the launch of the auto gas in eastern India, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, West Bengal's Minister for Transport and Youth Affairs, said there were about 40,000 diesel taxis plying in Kolkata and its outskirts.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 02, 2003, Page No.17

Ethanol-blended petrol in nine States from today:
Beginning new year, ethanol-blended petrol will be made mandatory in nine States as part of the Centre's efforts towards providing cleaner fuel across the country. Announcing this, Union Minister for Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas Ram Naik said, a formal launch of this programme has been planned in Mumbai on Wednesday, in presence of Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Sharad Yadav, State Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and other leaders. For the last one year, the Petroleum Ministry had been working on nine pilot projects for blended fuel and success of the same has spurred the move to go for a mandatory provision, Naik told reporters here on Tuesday evening. He said, the nine states have been selected on the basis of their sugarcane production capacity - as ethanol is a by-product of molasses, which in turn is a by-product of sugar.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 01, 2003, Page No.12