Delhi switches to BS-VI to fight air pollution

NEW DELHI: Delhi government, with an aim to deal with the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR region, came up with a new plan to switch from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to BS-VI and becomes the first city to do so. Delhi Petrol pumps already started supplying ultra-clean Bharat stage VI grade fuel.

Cities like Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad will switch over to BS-VI grade fuel from January 1,2019 and rest of country will switch from April 2020.

It is estimated that BS-VI reduces the amount of sulphur released by 80 per cent, from 50 parts per million to 10 ppm. The emission of nitrogen oxides from diesel cars is also expected to reduce by nearly 70 per cent and 25 per cent from cars with petrol engines. BS-VI fuel in the current engines may be ineffective in curbing vehicular pollution and can damage the engine in the long run.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Director, BV Rama Gopal confirmed that state-owned oil firms will start supplying the BS-VI grade fuels at all 391 petrol pumps and will cost 50 paisa a litre more. Petrol prices in Delhi hit at Rs 73.83 a litre, whereas, diesel price touched at an all-time high of Rs 64.69.

Pointing out the investment and work being done to meet Delhi’s annual fuel consumption, which is 9.6 lakh tonnes of petrol and 12.65 lakh tonnes of diesel, the official said, Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh, Panipat refinery in Haryana, Bina in Madhya Pradesh and Bhatinda in Punjab have started producing Euro-VI grade fuel. The official also mentioned that around Rs 183 crore has already been spent on Panipat refinery alone for producing cleaner fuel.

Earlier it was decided that the country will switch from BS-IV grade fuel to BS-VI grade fuel by April 2020, but due to deteriorating conditions of the air quality in Delhi, the authorities were forced to implement the BS-VI.

IOC will source the BS-VI fuel to meet Delhi’s requirement from its Mathura and Panipat refineries, while Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) will do so from its joint venture refinery at Bhatinda. Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) will supply the fuel from Bina refinery.