x. India’s Strategy Of Emission Control

delete UPSC Sample Notes [English]

Bharat Stage Norms

Set up by CPCB in 2000.
It primarily regulates IC engine emissions particularly from vehicles.
They are based on Euro regulations.
Though we started some regulations in 1992, we implemented for 2 and 3-wheelers only around 2000.
Requirement was lean-fuel ratio and electronic ignition.
Changeover to 4 stroke
Use of catalytic converter to reduce NOx.
Fuel Injection system.
From 20th April 2020 Bharat Stage 6 is being implemented which makes it mandatory to use PM traps and NOX catalytic convertors.
Currently in India we have emission norms for vehicles (2, 3, 4 wheelers, heavy duty engines, diesel construction machinery, diesel agricultural tractors(TREM norms), generator sets)
However, we do not have emission norms for locomotives as of now.
With pressure from various quarters including NGT, locomotive emission norms are on the anvil and will soon be implemented.

Bharat Stage 6

BS-VI vehicles

Vehicular emission (NOx, SO2, CO2 and particulate matter) is a major contributor to the worsening air quality of Indian cities.
Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) is an emission standard that will induce technology in the vehicles to reduce pollutant emissions.
The vehicles will mandatorily include OBD (On-board diagnostics) which will and monitor the pollution caused by the vehicle in real time.
The BS-VI vehicles use selective catalytic reduction technology which substantially reduces particulate matter emission. (remember in order for this to work we need to use low-sulphur fuel)

BS-6 emission norms

Petrol vehicles will have to effect a 25% reduction in their NOx, or nitrogen oxide emissions.
Diesel engines will have to reduce their
HC+NOx (hydrocarbon + nitrogen oxides) by 43%,
NOx levels by 68%
Particulate matter levels by 82%.

Advantages of using BS-6 fuel and vehicles

NOx emission will come down by approximately 25% for the petrol engine and 68% for the diesel engines.
BS-6 grade fuel contains 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur as against 50 ppm in BS-4 fuels.
The BS-6 fuel would result in 10-20 per cent reduction in particulate emission when used in BS-4 or lesser grade engines.
The Octane number for petrol engines has improved from 88 in BS-2 to 91 as required under BS-6 emission norms.
However full benefits will be realized when the automakers start manufacturing BS 6 grade engines in their vehicles.
The PM emission will see a substantial decrease of 80% in diesel engines.