Steering away from diesel: What is the trend against this heavy polluter fuel in India?
The HinduThe story so far: On April 25, Maruti Suzuki, India’s top carmaker, announced that it would phase out production of diesel models from April 1, 2020, when stricter Bharat Stage VI emission standards come into force. Explaining its rationale, the leading passenger vehicle manufacturer said the enhanced emission standards would make diesel engines costlier by up to ₹1.5 lakh, and the acquisition cost of diesel vehicles for consumers would be markedly higher than petrol equivalents. An assessment by researchers published by The Lancet Planetary Health in December 2018 said most Indian States, particularly those in north India, and 77% of the country’s population were exposed to an annual population-weighted mean, PM2·5, greater than the 40 microgrammes per cubic metre of air limit recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Car makers produced newer diesel engines and promoted them citing lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to petrol equivalents.