The Dirty D-Word

Just look at the new vehicle plans. Diesel, which is subsidised in the name of the poor, is going to fuel the brand-new TELCO small-sizzler. Besides, TELCO is launching Safari, the ultimate car with the poor persons fuel priced at a modest Rs.7.5 lakh. Maruti is planning diesel lines for its Zen and Gypsy models. Mercedes Benz already has a diesel version. Ambassador is completely on diesel production. In the three wheeler sector, Greaves has come out with Garuda, which is diesel-driven. Afraid of losing its market share, Bajaj Auto has just announced its R.E.Diesel, its own killer diesel auto-rickshaw.

 

Industry will argue that diesel is a green fuel. This is total nonsense. Not only is Indian diesel possibly the dirtiest in the world, there is much worldwide concern about the toxicity of its emissions.

Let us look at some facts. The government subsidy to diesel has increased from Rs 420 crore in 1994-95 to Rs 8,340 crore in 1996-97 an increase from 6.5 per cent to 45 per cent as a proportion of total petroleum subsidy. Consequently, diesel consumption has grown by 42 per cent between 1991-92 and 1995-96. Indian diesel is the cheapest in the world, and remains so even after the nominal hike in prices this year.

Globally, there is concern about diesel exhaust which produce large amounts of particulate matter (PM) from unburnt fuel, lubricating oil and sulphur content. PM from diesel vehicles is coated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which are carcinogenic. And what is better understood now is that it is not only the amount of particulate matter but the size of the particulate matter which makes it deadly.

There is now evidence that diesel particulate emissions are extremely small which go straight into our lungs. Till about a year ago, scientists were concerned with PM 10s (particulate matter less than 10 microns or less). Just remember, one micron is a millionth of a metre. But today, the concern is more about PM 2.5, which are very fine particles capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract. As much as 90 per cent of particulate emissions of diesel are PM 1s. These particles have been associated with both premature mortality - death from respiratory and cardiovascular disorders - and increased morbidity - high incidence of chronic lung diseases, especially bronchitis.

Recent research in PM emissions reveals that even state-of-the-art diesel with sulphur levels of 0.05 per cent produced 20 times higher particulate matter than petrol. Worse, in the case of diesel vehicles, technology for controlling killer emissions is still in a preliminary stage. Moreover, the presence of sulphur limits the overall usefulness of catalytic converters. Europe, which has a higher proportion of diesel-run vehicles than the US, is in the process of setting higher standards for diesel vehicles for the year 2000 and 2005, the so-called Euro Step III and Step IV.

Consider the situation in India. Firstly, the quality of fuel is abominable. It is understood that sulphur is the primary cause of pollution from diesel. Indian diesel has 1 per cent by weight of sulphur. And after a lot of chest beating, the petroleum industry has accepted the standards for the year 2000, which would bring down sulphur content to 0.25 per cent, as against world standards of 0.05 per cent. In 2000, our diesel will be 250 times worse than the best diesel available today!

Secondly, we have absolutely no standards for controlling PM as yet. The first standards which have been set are for the year 2001. But these are essentially Euro 1 standards, adopted in Europe in 1992. China, on the other hand is adopting Euro I for 1996, and Euro II for 2001. Therefore, even with our new automobiles, we will be 10 years behind.

Thirdly, and amazingly, we do not even monitor the size of PM. We simply monitor the total suspended particulate matter (SPMs) in the air. We dont have the information to make policy. And, of course, we will not learn from the research of others.

The government must immediately do the following. One, remove the subsidy on diesel. And prosecute every manufacturer and user producing or using a private diesel vehicle and vehicles like three-wheelers and taxis. Removing the subsidy is absolutely necessary to stop the dieselisation of the auto-industry. Two, it must tax dirty fuel. It must provide the right fiscal incentives and disincentives for both the state petroleum industry as well auto manufacturers to opt for clean technology. Three, clean fuel standards must be set. The mockery of our current standards must stop. Four, we must tighten emission standards for diesel vehicles. We cannot be 10 years behind and gasping. Five, the government must start state-of-the-art monitoring so that air pollution control policy is built on scientific research and not on the whims and fancies of the people in power.