By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, APRIL 02, 2018: THE Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, has said that the Govt has decided to proactively advance the roll-out of BS-VI fuel in Delhi from April 2018, instead of April 2020 after taking stock of the alarming pollution situation in Delhi in winters.

BS-VI fuel will bring down sulphur by 5 times from the current BS-IV levels – this is an 80 percent reductionwhich makes it extremely clean. It will improve emissions from the existing fleet, even from the older vehicles on road. BS-VI is as clean as CNG or even cleaner than CNG in some respects Pradhan said today at the launch of BS-VI compliant automotive fuels in Delhi and addedwe plan to extend the availability of these fuels across the country by 1st April 2020.

According to a Centre for Science & Environment study, air pollution takes 10,000-30,000 lives in Delhi every year. We believe that early migration to BS-VI fuels in the National Capital of Delhi will help in saving thousands of precious lives by bringing down vehicular pollution significantly.

However, to take full advantage of the availability of such superior fuels, the vehicle technology has to move to BS-VI. Introduction of BS VI fuel will only give partial benefits if BS VI compliant vehicles are not put on the road. "I am told that our auto-companies are already making BS VI cars in India and exporting them to developed countries. I am sure they can also do so for our own country," he added by making an appeal to all automobile manufacturers to start selling BS VI vehicles, wherever BS VI fuel is available.