SUPPLY OF BHARAT STAGE-II NORMS COMPLIANT FUELS IN LUCKNOW AND SHOLAPUR FROM 1ST JANUARY 2004

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Shri Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, has approved the proposal for preponing the date of introducing Bharat Stage-II emission norms compliant fuels in the cities of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Sholapur (Maharashtra). Accordingly, the petrol and diesel with 0.05 per cent maximum sulphur content petrol and diesel would be supplied in these cities w.e.f. 1.1.2004 instead of 1.4.2005 as per Auto Fuel Policy. This initiative is expected to lead to a significant reduction in the emission of vehicular pollutants, thereby resulting in improved quality of ambient air in these cities. Presently, petrol and diesel with 0.25% sulphur content are being supplied all over the country from January 2000 including Lucknow and Sholapur excepting 11 other cities which have Bharat Stage-II fuels.

It may be recalled that Bharat Stage-II emission norms compliant petrol and diesel have already been introduced in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai during 2000-2001. This was further extended to the cities of Agra, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Pune and Surat w.e.f. 1.4.2003. With this, the petrol and diesel of Bharat Stage-II emission norm quality would be available in 13 major cities which have large population of vehicles. Oil companies have so far invested about Rs. 10,000 crore in refineries to upgrade the fuel quality to Bharat Stage-I all over the country and Bharat Stage-II in 11 major cities.