Transport Minister Gadkari Lashes Out Against Diesel Ban

Ruling out the banning of diesel vehicles as a remedy to pollution problems, Union road transport minister, Nitin Gadkari recently criticised the restrictions imposed on diesel cars in Delhi by the Supreme Court. The ban has led to several carmakers voicing concerns regarding investments in India.

In an interview to the Times of India, ahead of the 2nd anniversary of the BJP-led central government, the Nagpur man called out for a proper study to determine the exact causes of deteriorating air quality in the national capital.

"If there is no proper diagnosis how will you treat the disease? We need a comprehensive research by a good agency to find the reasons of air pollution," he said. Accepting that there is a need to employ changes in terms of diesel vehicles in India, he maintained that it can't start suddenly one morning.

"It cannot be a sudden decision to ban anything. The most important thing is in Delhi for instance taxi permits have been issued till 2020. Taxi drivers have taken loans from banks. Loans are with 13 to 14 percent interest. If you shut them down how will one lakh people or drivers survive?" he asked rhetorically.

Referring to a report by IIT, Kanpur, which mentioned only 18 percent of air pollution in Delhi is caused by automobiles, Gadkari said that though the focus is on vehicles, they are not the largest source of air pollution.

The minister though feels that the implementation of BS-VI standards of fuel will address the problem of pollution through diesel cars. The introduction of alternative fuels, like ethanol, bio-CNG and Li-ion batteries, will also be supported by the government, it was informed. 

READ: Now diesel cars banned in Kerala too

“The sewage water from the city can be used to produce bio-CNG. Nagpur has hundred buses on bio-CNG now. The calorific value of bio-CNG is higher. In fact it performs better than petrol and diesel. We are applying the philosophy of waste to wealth.”