Fuel standards

In an instance of conflicts on the national stand on climate change, which is that India should not be asked to take on economic burden of reducing emissions as it is the rich countries which are responsible for the accumulation, India's transport ministry has now come up with a set of norms for the road sector based on emissions from the sector. The ministry of heavy industries too plans to come up with its own standards.

Not only do these oppose the official stand but the basis of setting fuel standards is in conflict with what the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has set. The latter has prepared norms based on the mileage, and not based on emissions.

The move is being opposed by not only the power industry but also the environment ministry which sees this as a case of the two sectors being taken for a ride by the interests of developed world. Already it has struck down a proposal by the auto industry to come up with emission based norms.

The legal implications aside, the question to be asked is: who is right?

With fuel prices on the rise and a peaking of production almost here, obviously there is a crying need for fuel standards in the country today. Many of the bigger private vehicles run on cheap diesel meant primarily for public transport. Some of the imported makes have not been modified in tune with fuel efficiency standards prevailing in Europe. In the process, not only do they guzzle fuel but also emit polluting gases.

But, should we have norms based on carbon emissions or mileage?

True, we are slowly reaching a stage where aspirations are being fulfilled. But when talking of per capita figures and the need to sustain the economic growth we are so proud of, what percentage of the population is one catering to, in protecting our 'rights' to pollute? How many of our 1.2 billion own cars and bikes?

Or as the environment ministry argues, are emission figures not consumer friendly? Is it that our vehicle users can only understand if you talk of mileage?

Even so, can we afford to ignore emissions, in the light of hard evidence of the damage that continues to be wrought on the planet? Simply because someone stabbed the body first, can one condone subsequent stabs?