Three-wheeler truths

An LPG autorickshaw. There are hardly 2,500 in the city

Most of the 55,000 autos run on adulterated fuel

The high court on Friday directed petitioner Subhas Dutta to submit on April 18 details of the process by which the Supreme Court had forced the Delhi government to implement clean-air measures. Under pressure from the apex court, the Centre had set up a pollution prevention and control authority for the National Capital Region in January 1998. Based on its report, the Supreme Court later that year directed the authorities to take a series of steps. Metro, which has been running a sustained campaign for clean air in Calcutta, brings you the highlights in the action against air pollution in the Capital...

Phase-out of commercial vehicles

Process: The Delhi government in 1997 decided to phase out commercial vehicles more than 15 years old, but backtracked under pressure from the transporters. In July 1998, the apex court ordered that the vehicles be phased out by October that year.

Status: Has been implemented.

Calcutta crisis: A high court-appointed committee in June 2000 recommended a ban on commercial vehicles more than 15 years old, which hasn’t been implemented.

Cap on three-wheelers

Process: The Supreme Court in 1997 froze the number of three-wheelers in Delhi and directed that no new permit be granted except to replace a working three-wheeler. In December 2002, the court allowed an increase (5,000) in the number of three-wheelers.

Status: Delhi has around 53,000 registered three-wheelers.

Calcutta crisis: About 55,000 autos, including those banned in other cities for pollution, ply in the city. About 24,000 are registered.

Natural gas programme

Process: In July 1998, the court ordered for conversion of various categories of commercial vehicles in Delhi to compressed natural gas (CNG). The latest deadline was March 31, 2001. The court directives covered financial incentives for vehicle operators and increase in the number of CNG outlets.

Status: Delhi now has 154 CNG stations that fuel over 12,000 buses, 72,000 three-wheelers and 50,000 private cars.

Calcutta crisis: Calcutta does not have access to CNG. Hardly 5,000 vehicles, including 2,500 autos, run legally on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Thousands of vehicles illegally use domestic LPG, which is cheaper. In 2004, the transport department recommended setting up of 72 LPG stations urgently. Four years on, there are only 12 LPG stations.

PUC tests

Process: In October 2004, the Union government linked the pollution under control (PUC) tests to the technology level of a vehicle. For example, Euro II cars must meet tougher norms than pre-Euro II ones. Additional tests were introduced and norms were made more stringent.

Status: Vehicles undergo emission tests every three months. The 508 PUC centres in Delhi undergo third-party audits.

Calcutta crisis: Hardly 20 per cent vehicles undergo — once in six months — PUC tests. There is no system of audit.

Commercial vehicle inspection

Process: The annual roadworthiness tests of commercial vehicles used to be carried out manually and visually. As a result, failure rate was only about five per cent. As part of reforms, three automated testing lines were commissioned.

Status: More than 225 vehicles, including about 45 buses, are tested automatically daily. The failure rate is now about 30 per cent.

Calcutta crisis: The tests are still manual and often a farce. The failure rate is about three per cent.

Fuel adulteration

Process: A fuel-testing laboratory was set up in Delhi on the basis of the Supreme Court’s July 1998 order. The court’s directive led to a study by CSE into fuel adulteration, that paved the way for a 2002 order to introduce non-adulterable fuel like CNG and LPG in polluted cities.

Status: Import of kerosene by private agencies, a major source of adulteration, has been banned.

Calcutta crisis: Autorickshaws mostly run on adulterated fuel.

— Jayanta Basu