As concerns over smog and its harmful affects reappear with the approaching winter, the government should encourage the use of cleaner fuel options like LPG in vehicles while minimising the use of petrol and diesel, Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) has said. "The number of premature deaths in India stood at 11 lakh in 2015 because of air pollution, a recent study by an American institute found. There was about 50 percent increase in premature deaths in India between 1990 and 2015 because of toxic air quality," IAC said in a statement.
Another recent report by Greenpeace, which assessed the state of air quality in 168 cities in India, found that none of the cities complies with air quality standards prescribed by World Health Organisation (WHO). It also says fossil fuels, particularly petrol and diesel, are the main reasons for the deteriorating air quality across the country. "The national capital was covered with a thick blanket of smog last Diwali with young children being the most badly affected. As winter approaches again, we realise we have not done anything to alleviate the situation," said Suyash Gupta, Director General, IAC.
Stating that a solution for the deteriorating air pollution has to be found, he said many countries have switched to gaseous fuels CNG and LPG, including some in Asia. In Turkey, 40 percent of all private cars run on Auto LPG. LPG as a fuel in automobiles is cleaner than compressed natural gas (CNG) and is easier to handle. "Need of the hour is to make informed fuel choices for our vehicles so that we do not choke our cities and imperil the health of the younger generation," IAC said.
While the government is pushing for electric vehicles to check pollution, the infrastructure for the same will take some time to develop. Auto LPG can reduce vehicular pollution and about 500 cities have auto LPG filling stations. Other cities can also be brought under the ambit instantaneously as the fuel can be transported easily and does not require pipelines and other infrastructure.
"Auto LPG emits up to 120 times lesser particulate emissions than diesel vehicles, 96 percent lesser nitrogen dioxides (NOx) than diesel and 68 percent lesser NOx than petrol," the statement said.
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