The state environment is set to issue a notification that will provide police more power to crack down on manufacturers and users of katatel.

The notification will ban fuel production without the state pollution control board’s clearance and also bar storage, sale and use of such fuel.

Katatel is a toxic cocktail of kerosene, naphtha and petrol, widely used by autorickshaws in and around the city.

According to sources, the notification was discussed last week in the first meeting of the committee constituted to monitor the implementation of the high court directive on controlling vehicular pollution in the Calcutta Metropolitan Area. The chief secretary chairs the panel.

The committee members suggested the department issue a notification to make it easier for police to take action against violators. The transport secretary, environment secretary, director general of police, chief law officer of the environment department, the police commissioner’s representative and experts from Jadavpur University and IIT Kharagpur attended the meeting.

“The matter has been discussed. We are examining the legal aspect of issuing a notification,” said M.L. Meena, the environment secretary and the panel’s member secretary.

“Under the Air Act, 1981, and the Environment Protection Act, 1986, we can take steps against manufacturers of adulterated fuel and those who store, sell and use such fuel. We had issued a similar directive to industries to shift from coal to oil,” said Biswajit Mukherjee, the chief law officer in the environment department.

“There are provisions under the essential commodities act to take steps against manufacture, storage, sale and use of adulterated fuel,” said Chanchal Dutta, the deputy commissioner (enforcement) of Calcutta police.