The latest take on utilisation of green and clean fuel: oil companies have urged the state government to take steps to expedite the conversion of old petrol-driven vehicles to ones run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), acting as coordinator of four major oil companies, wrote to the government on Friday, expressing concern over the poor response from car-owners to switch to LPG.

“We (oil companies) have invested heavily in setting up LPG outlets to curb auto emission,” said IOC deputy general manager (LPG) A.C. Dey. “Now, it’s the government’s turn to ensure that enough vehicles switch to the green fuel and make the pumps viable,” he added.

Transport department principal secretary Sumantra Chowdhury, however, said it was not mandatory for any kind of vehicle to convert to LPG. “We have made it mandatory only for new three-wheelers. Permits for new autorickshaws will be issued only if they are fitted with LPG engines.”

Echoing Chowdhury, public vehicles department director Hritesh Mohan said: “For all other vehicles, switching over to LPG is optional. The existing law doesn’t allow us to make the change-over mandatory.’’

The oil companies have pointed out that they had invested nearly Rs 7 crore to set up the LPG outlets for the sake of a cleaner environment. According to them, they had raised the money by curtailing the cost of other projects.

“We, too, want to ensure an pollution-free Calcutta. But all our efforts and investments will be in vain unless the transport department ensures that enough number of vehicles ply on LPG,” said deputy general manager Dey.

Though transport minister Subhas Chakraborty said he had started working on a strategy for the switchover, the department’s focus now is restricted to three-wheelers.

“We’ve decided to make it mandatory for all three-wheelers plying in and around the city to run on LPG. We will soon issue a notification. Autorickshaw operators will be given a deadline for the switchover,” the minister added.

However, the government doesn’t seem to be bothered about lakhs of old vehicles in the city plying on petrol.

“The existing motor vehicles rules will have to be amended to make the use of LPG mandatory. And it has to be done in consultation with the Centre. Talks are on with Delhi,” a transport department official said.

On the oil companies’ grievance, he said it was not possible to ensure optimum use of the LPG outlets overnight. “We will inform the companies about our initiatives,” he added.

LPG kit attachment centres, too, are waiting for customers. The owner of one such centre, J. Khara, said: “I have invested lakhs, expecting a good response from owners of old vehicles. But now, I feel I could have done better had I opted for some other business.”

He added: “The government will have to find out ways to compel polluting car-owners to switch to LPG.”