Migration to Euro V, VI norms to be advanced: Centre

Amid Delhi's government's move to restrict plying of vehicles bearing odd and even registration numbers to alternate days to curb pollution, the Centre today said it has taken "revolutionary" steps, including advancing migration to Euro V and VI emission norms to 2019 and 2021.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said Euro IV (Bharat IV) norms will be implemented in the entire country by 2017 which will greatly help in curbing pollution and it is a "major" decision.
"Regarding the pollution problem in Delhi, media, judiciary, all the governments and agencies, all have become active which is a good thing.
"The Centre has also taken some decisions. The first decision which is revolutionary is that the Euro IV norms will be implemented all over the country from 2017.

"Today it is available in some cities. So the trucks which enter Delhi today do not have Euro IV. They too will have it," he said in response to queries on the odd and even number move by the Delhi government.
Javadekar said the previous government had decided to introduce Euro V emission norms by 2021 and Bharat stage 6 by 2024.

"That has been preponed by this government. So now we have decided to bring in Euro V in 2019 and in Bharat 6 in 2021. For that the government will invest Rs 60,000 crore so that better fuel is available.

"Car manufacturers too have to make vehicles as per the Euro V and VI standards," he said.
Asked if there were any plans to directly jump to Euro 6, Javadekar said there was no such plan as issues of various stakeholders needed to be considered.
"No. You have to take everybody into consideration. We have preponed it, that's a major decision. Vehicles also need to make changes in their design which are as per Indian road conditions and driving style. Both are important from engineering point of view, and therefore one needs a little time between the transformation," he said.

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Elaborating on other decisions, Javadekar said that the construction of bypass in Delhi was "only under discussion for the last ten years" and has been started.
"The first bypass will be completed in one year while the second will be in two years. In the coming years, none of the vehicles who do not have anything to do in Delhi will be able to enter it," he said.
Noting that Delhi's air quality is affected by dust from Rajasthan, stubble burning in states like Punjab and Haryana and other causes from neighbouring states, he said the Centre has brought all state governments and agencies together for tackling the problem of pollution.

"We have held four meetings and will also conduct more meetings. We have started working to make Delhi pollution free," Javadekar said.