The Hindu Business Line : Bharat III emission norms to be implemented in 11 cities

TO reduce pollution in the atmosphere, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, has decided to implement the Bharat Stage III emission norms for gasoline and diesel vehicles in 11 cities across the country.

The Bharat Stage III norms are equivalent to the Euro III norms, Mr Balraj Bhanot, Director, ARAI, has said here today.

Talking to presspersons, he said the 11cities that had been identified are the four metros — Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, New Delhi — and the mini metros — Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Kanpur and Agra.

These norms, to take effect from April 2005, would be applicable for the four-wheelers to begin with, he said. Simultaneously, he noted that for the two and three-wheeler population of the country, the Bharat Stage II would be made applicable across the country.

The diesel and gasoline car segment would also be in the same category from April 2005, he said.

Mr Bhanot, looking ahead, noted that ARAI was planning to implement the Bharat Stage III across the country during 2008-10 for four-wheelers while the two and three-wheelers would be upgraded to this segment during this period.

He said that these are being followed as per Dr R.A. Mashelkar's recommendation on the control of pollution in the country.

About seven crore vehicles are crisscrossing the country, he said. Of this 77 per cent were two-wheelers, 13 per cent three- and four-wheelers, while the rest was made up by the vintage or vehicles that were not in use.

He said, during October, a survey had been conducted by the ARAI on two cities, New Delhi and Pune in two locations each for testing the pollution levels. Pune had been ranked much above New Delhi as Pune had more than its share of two-wheeler population in the country.

Mr Bhanot said a pilot project has been initiated in New Delhi for vehicle maintenance and certification for four-wheelers and truckers. This would be taken up as a private initiative and would be spread across the country within a four to five years.

Mr Bhanot said to ensure that the in-use vehicles were maintained well and less emitting, the gasoline vehicles were being tested for idle carbon monoxide emission and diesel vehicles for free acceleration smoke.