Representatives of a Delhi-based company came calling at Writers’ Buildings last week to discuss with senior transport department officials the conversion of diesel autorickshaws to LPG in the city.

Studies have shown that the autorickshaw is a major contributor to air pollution in Calcutta.

At the meeting, officials of Techlab Autogas Pvt Ltd used figures to highlight the poor rate of conversion of autorickshaws to LPG in the city.

“The rate at which autos are converted to LPG in Calcutta is the lowest among the metro cities. Bangalore has more than 50,000 autos running on LPG. The figure is 10,000 for Chennai. Both cities have 14 LPG refilling stations,” said Hatinder Dhamija of Techlab Autogas, who attended the meeting.

Calcutta has 12 LPG pumps but hardly 2,500 LPG autorickshaws, less than 10 per cent of the total number of the three-wheelers plying in and around city. Autorickshaws are being converted into LPG vehicles for the past four years in Calcutta.

The company representative suggested that financial incentives could motivate autorickshaw-owners to convert. Autorickshaw-owners in Chennai are provided sops. Environment secretary M.L. Meena recently told Metro that his department was considering a similar measure in Calcutta.

According to sources, the company officials also pointed out the rampant use of duplicate LPG kits and adulterated fuel by city autorickshaw-owners. They also spoke about the lack of awareness among the transport department officials about conversion to LPG and bureaucratic delays.

“Earlier, the government was not serious about conversion to LPG. It seems more interested now,” said a company representative.

A senior transport department official said: “We listened to what the company had to say and asked the officials to submit a report. Once we get the report, we will take the necessary measures.”

That is easier said than done. Tough decisions cannot be taken due to political pressure, admitted another transport department official.

However, mobile auto emission checking vans will start doing the rounds of the city soon. “The well-equipped vans will hit the roads by next month,” promised public vehicles department director Mohammad Kamran.

“Hopefully, the fate of the vans will be better than those of Calcutta Police for checking auto emission,” remarked a green activist.

The city traffic police once had six such vans. Only two of them are functional now, but are rarely used.