Prakash Javadekar: Delhi to get BS6-compliant vehicles by 2020

Union Minister Prakash Javdekar on Monday addressed a press conference on various issues related to the environment in New Delhi. During his address, Prakash Javadekar said that by April 2020, the BS6-compliant vehicles will be available in Delhi. He also spoke about the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital.

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Union Minister of Environment Prakash Javadekar said, "BS6-compliant vehicles will be coming in Delhi in April 2020. BS6 petrol/diesel is already available in Delhi/NCR. It will lead to a great reduction in air pollution from vehicles."

Speaking about the Air Quality Index Javadekar said, "Since 2006, the air quality in Delhi has been deteriorating rapidly. But till 2014, neither it was talked about nor much work was done to improve it. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Air Quality Index. Currently, 113 AQI monitoring stations are present in Delhi/NCR and 29 will to be installed soon."

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He also requested the citizens ahead of Diwali festival saying, "I will advise that don't burst firecrackers, and I am confident that children themselves will ask parents to not buy firecrackers, but if someone wants to, then buy green firecrackers, its a historic initiative of Dr. Harsh Vardhan."

Bharat Stage norms

The Bharat Stage are standards instituted by the government to regulate the emission of air pollutants from motor vehicles. The norms were introduced in 2000. With appropriate fuel and technology, they limit the release of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter (PM) and sulfur oxides from vehicles using internal combustion engines. As the stage goes up, the control of emissions becomes stricter. Thus, Bharat Stage VI norms are two stages ahead of the present Bharat Stage IV norms in regulating emissions. These norms are based on similar norms in Europe called Euro 4 and Euro 6.

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Green Fire Crackers

Green crackers with 30% fewer emissions have entered the market, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Saturday, noting that the step has been taken so that people's sentiments are taken care of without harming the environment. The green crackers were displayed by the minister and scientists of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) who were involved in their making at an event. The Health Minister said that the new and improved crackers have been introduced to deal with the menace of pollution.

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