Not Prepared For The BS-IV Switch: Indian Automobile Industry

The EPCA has directed all the automobile manufacturers that all vehicles sold from April 1, 2017, should be BS-IV compliant. Which means the BS-III vehicles cannot be sold or registered beyond April 1, 2017.

But the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has informed EPAC that it will be ‘very difficult' for the automobile manufacturers to comply with the neW order.

With the switch to BS-IV emission norms, it will reduce the particulate matter emissions by 80 percent. But the automakers are not geared up for this transition, so the implementation of BS-IV may slow down.

EPCA recently held a meeting to inform the manufacturers to plan in advance. The minutes of the meeting read, "EPCA will be writing to chief secretaries of all states informing them not to allow registration of BS III compliant vehicles as of April 1 2017."

Although, SIAM stated that according to the notification from the transport ministry, the industry would manufacture BS-IV vehicles, but it is not possible to follow the order of EPAC to stop selling BS-III vehicles.

A SIAM director wrote to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) official stating that the industry is all geared up to manufacture the BS-IV compliant vehicles from April 1, 2017. But EPAC issue directions to RTO's that no BS-III vehicles will be registered from April 1, then the manufacturers will not be able to clear the old stocks.

In reply, the CPCB official stated that BS-III vehicles emit 80 percent more particulates compared to BS-IV vehicles. So the transition has to happen as quickly as possible. Particularly for diesel trucks and taxis.

Director General of SIAM, Vishnu Mathur said, It is not a question of advance notice. No company can exhaust its stocks completely on a certain date, which is why the ministry has given us a date for stopping the manufacture and not for sales of old stocks."

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