Vehicular emissions are single most important source of air pollution in urban centres of the country. Therefore, controlling vehicular emissions remained a major thrust area in the year 2003 too. The focus was not only on the National Capital Region but has been on the entire country. Use of clean fuels like CNG, LPG, biofuels etc, for vehicles increased gradually. Following measures on vehicular pollution control were taken and as a result improvement in air quality was observed at various urban areas.

Vehicular emission norms

»From 1.4.2003 only Bharat stage-II emission norms compliant new vehicles, except 2 & 3 wheelers, were registered in the cities of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Bangalore, Ahemdabad, Kanpur, Agra & Surat.
»From 1-6-2003, Bharat ( Trem ) stage-II emission compliant new agriculture tractors and construction vehicles only were registered throughout the country.
»Emission norms for diesel vehicles fitted with LPG engine were made effective from 1-5-2003.
»Bharat stage-II norms for 2- & 3- wheelers were notified during September 2003.
»Draft emission norms for in-use vehicles effective from 1-10-2004 were notified during July 2003.
»For implementation of Bharat stage-II emission norms to be effective from 1-3-2004 for all categories of vehicles in Sholapur and Lucknow were also notified during December 2003 .

Fuel Quality

»Fuel quality compatible with above emission norms were ensured in corresponding cities.

Alternate Fuel

»Gasoline with 5 % ethanol will be supplied in sugar producing States and Union Territories of Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana , Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Daman & Diu, Dadara & Nagar Hawali, Chandigarh & Pondicherry from January 2003.
»Biodiesel Specification has been finalized. Some trial run on biodiesel has also been completed.

Use of Gaseous fuel is increasing. There are 115 CNG stations in Delhi, 57 CNG and 15 LPG stations in Mumbai, 5 LPG stations in Chennai, 7 LPG stations in Hyderabad & 6 LPG stations in Bangalore. Action plan has been prepared to increase the LPG filling stations in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

»In Delhi number of flyovers have been constructed to ease traffic congestion and to reduce emissions from vehicles during idling at traffic lights. Delhi metro railway line has been extended to Trinagar from Tis Hazari for catering more people.
»Interstate trucks which are not destined to Delhi are not allowed to ply within city limits.

Action plan for Controlling Air Pollution

»Hon'ble Supreme Court directed Union of India and State Governments to prepare action plans for reducing RSPM level for cities of Kanpur, Ahemdabad, Sholapur, Bangalore, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata. Hon'ble Supreme Court also directed respective State Pollution Control Boards to place the proposed action plans before EPCA (Environmental Pollution Control Authority).
»The action plans for the above cities have been received. MoEF, CPCB & EPCA are reviewing these action plans. Some of the actions proposed in the action plan have already been initiated during year 2003.
»Hon'ble Supreme had identified nine critically polluted cities namely Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Jharia, Patna, Jodhpur, Pune & Faridabad. The action plans for these cities have been received and being reviewed. Some of the actions proposed in the action plan have already been initiated during year 2003.
»The Hon'ble court has also asked the State Pollution Control Boards to prepare action plan and scheme for compulsory switch over to CNG/LPG as automotive fuels in the cities those are equally or more polluted than Delhi. Later, CPCB identified these cities as Ahemdabad, Kanpur, Kolkata & Pune. The action plans along with scheme for compulsory switch over to CNG/LPG in these cities have been received and reviewed by CPCB.

Project/ Study undertaken

Volatile organic compounds in Delhi & Mumbai

The project on "Inventory of emission of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urban air of Delhi & Mumbai" is being conducted by CPCB through National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Mumbai Zonal Office. The objectives of the study are proposed to be achieved in two phase. Phase -I comprises of identification and measurement of VOCs in ambient air, whereas phase-II involves inventorisation of sources of VOCs in an industrial estates. The study on phase-I has been completed during year 2003. More than 50 VOC compounds have been identified in Delhi & Mumbai. The results of source apportionment using CMB-8 reveals that in Mumbai the gasoline evaporative emissions are the dominant source of VOCs , while in Delhi vehicular exhaust are the dominant sources.

Evaporative emissions of Hydrocarbons from various sources

A project on Inventory of evaporative emissions of Hydrocarbons from various sources in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai has been taken up by CPCB. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute , Mumbai Zonal Lab will conduct the study. The study will commence during January 2004.

Vehicular Emissions Inventory & Source Apportionment

As per MoU between MoEF & US- EPA a study on vehicular emissions inventory & source apportionment for the city of Pune have been planned.

a. International vehicle emission model :
Vehicle emission study was conducted by USEPA and James Lent University of California River side during March 2003. The study was designed to estimate the technology distribution of vehicles operating in Pune, measuring driving pattern and estimating time and number of vehicle engine start.

b. Training cum Demonstration Project:
Training on air pollution monitoring , source apportionment and emission inventory was being conducted at Pune during September , 2003. SPCB's, CPCB, Research Institutes, Oil companies, Automobile manufacturers, universities and Municipal Corporations have attended the programme.

Project on "Auto- rickshaw LPG conversion demonstration in Bangalore & Kolkata"

Environment Canada is implementing Environmental institutional strengthening project with the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India. CPCB is one of the key partners in the study. The above project has been initiated as sub-component of the Air emissions and Monitoring & Control component which includes transfer of Canadian technical expertise for conversion of autorickshaws to LPG in Bagalore and Kolkata city. In order to supervise the activities of the project , CPCB has constituted technical advisory committee under the chairmanship of Dr. H.B Mathur. The autorickshaws required for testing in Canada has been shipped from India.

Air quality monitoring and source apportionment studies in metro cities

The project is sponsored by oil companies and will be executed by NEERI and ARAI Pune. The selected cities are Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Pune. CPCB is the member of the technical and steering committee of this project and will be actively involved in the study.

Expert Committee to Evaluate Policy & Guidelines to Prevent, Monitor and Control Fine Particulate Matter (FPM) in the Ambient Air

An expert committee to evaluate policy & guidelines to prevent , monitor and control fine particulate matter (FPM) in the ambient air has been constituted under the chairmanship of Prof. J.M.Dave. In accordance with the recommendations of the expert committee four sub committees have been constituted on following topics:

1. Prevention control & air quality standards of FPM.
2. Monitoring of FPM
3. Health effects of FPM.
4. Source apportionment studies of FPM

The sub- committees have submitted draft reports which were circulated to all the members of the main committee.

Committees related to vehicular pollution control in which CPCB has taken active participation during year 2003

· Working group on adulteration of petroleum products constituted by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
· Environmental Pollution Control Authority for NCR constituted by MoEF.
· Standing committee on emissions constituted by MoRTH.
· Petroleum products sectioned committee constituted by BIS.
· The expert committee on Auto fuel Policy constituted by MoPNG .
· Expert committee to evaluate policy & guidelines to prevent, monitor and control fine particulate (FPM) in the ambient air.

National Report

»Report of the Expert Committee on Auto fuel policy was accepted by the Union cabinet during October 2003. The road map for controlling vehicular pollution from all categories of new vehicles is as follows:

Apart from road map for new vehicles , the road map for in-use vehicles has also been recommended.

»Report of the Expert Committee on Development of Bio-fuels was submitted during July 2003. The committee recommended for 5% bio-fuel blended diesel by the year 2005 and 20 % bio-fuel blended diesel by the year 2011-12.

Air Quality at Traffic Intersection in Bhubaneswar (Orissa)

Ambient air quality and noise monitoring at major traffic intersections at Bhubaneswar were carried out in association with Orissa State Pollution Control Board. The pre-winter monitoring was completed in September 2002 and second round of monitoring representing the winter season was completed in January 2003. The monitoring was carried out on 24 -hourly average basis at 9 major traffic intersections covering entire Bhubaneswar City. The parameters monitored were Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM), Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), NO2, SO2, Lead in TSPM and RSPM and PAH in ambient air. Noise monitoring was also carried out at all these station four times in 24 -hour representing all periods.

Air Quality at Traffic Intersection monitoring in Ranchi (Jharkhand)

Ambient air quality monitoring at nine major traffic intersection in Ranchi (Jharkhand) is being carried out in association with Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board in two phases covering two seasons - pre-winter and winter. The pre-winter monitoring has been completed during October 2003. The second round of monitoring is scheduled during first week of February 2004. The monitoring was carried out on 24 -hourly average basis at nine major traffic intersections covering entire Ranchi City Area.

Air Quality at Traffic Intersections in Kolkata

A monitoring was conducted at 15 traffic intersections spread across Kolkata city to assess the ambient air quality and traffic characteristics. Air pollutants such as Respirable Dust, NO2, SO2 and PAH were measured and total incoming traffic was enumerated for each category of vehicles. The results obtained indicate there was large seasonal variation in air pollutants with peak concentration in winter. Concentration of NO2, Respirable Dust, CO, VOC and PAH are of major concern due to increase in vehicular traffic. Concentration of PAH was found 31 ng/m3 for six compounds of which, the average concentration of highly carcinogenic compound Benzo(a)Pyerene was found 8.5 ng/m3. The composition of traffic at Kolkata indicates 55% vehicles are diesel driven, majority of them are of public transport. Among petrol driven vehicles, private cars dominate with 23% of total vehicles followed by 2-wheelers (16% of total vehicles) and 3-wheeler autos.