To make India free from pollution three more cities will be joining in the list of BS IV emission norms from 1st of March. Previously there were seventeen cities under this norm. Addition of three more cities will take the number of BS IV cities to 20. It is due to this norm that the rate of sulphur in BS IV cities is at a much lower level compared to BS III cities.
Bharatpur (Rajasthan), Ankleshwar (Gujarat) and Hissar (Haryana) are the three new cities that are going to enter the BS IV emission norms. 40 percent of the Indian auto market, which is 17 cities, was already under this norm. The government aims to bring 50 more cities under BS IV emission norms by 2015.
The officials of the government, who are associated with the BS IV process, said that they are going to bring in more and more cities under this norm. The petroleum ministry said that by 2015 the oil companies will be able to provide BS IV complying fuel to 50 major cities.
In the year 2010, the BS IV norm was made compulsory in Bangalore, Kanpur, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Surat, Ahmadabad, Pune, Agra, Lucknow and Sholapur, but BS III was mandatory at that time in the rest of the country.
Chief Executive of an oil company, on request of anonymity, said to Indian Drives that at the preliminary stage the oil companies have invested around Rs.32,000 crore for conversion from BS III to BS IV.
All the major cities having population more than one crore will be under this norm and other cities will be considered according to their population level and total number of vehicles running.
It has been said from the senior officials of Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd that they are ready for the change, and only a matter of time till they complete the task.