The Interim Mashelkar report recommends that CNG be only one of several options to meet evolving emission norms. But, as S G Shah says, its implementation remains uncertain.

The Interim Report of the 'Expert Committee on Auto Fuel Policy', chaired by eminent scientist and director general of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr R A Mashelkar was released in December 2001.

The most significant aspects of this report are the recommendations to:
A) "Prescribe emission standards and fuel quality and leave the choice of fuel and technology to manufacturers and consumers."
In one fell swoop the Mashelkar Report had advocated negating the good work of the Supreme Court of India, which, since 1995, has ordered the use of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) in commercial/ public transport vehicles, to achieve the goal of Clean Air.
CNG was chosen by the Supreme Court due to its inherent advantages, like:

Lower Emissions In a CNG-powered car, it has been found that pollution levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrocarbons (HC) fall by 97 percent and 11 percent respectively.

Low Costs CNG fuel costs almost 30 percent less than petrol, with 1kg of CNG producing energy equivalent to 1.3 litres of petrol.

Safety Since CNG is lighter than air, it dissipates quickly into the atmosphere rather than forming hazardous pools, as liquid fuels do. Also, CNG ignites at much higher temperature than gasoline, making inadvertent ignition less likely. The CNG cylinders are made from 1/2" to 3/4" aluminium or steel and are much safer than conventional petrol tanks, which are made of thin sheet metal.

Fuel economy CNG has been found to yield a five percent improvement in fuel economy, as compared to petrol, resulting in lower fuel costs and reduction in toxic emissions.

Lower maintenance cost As CNG burns very cleanly, spark plugs and lubricants require fewer changes and tune-ups aren't needed as often. Engines burning CNG will last two to three times longer than those using petrol. Also, since CNG does not contain any lead, spark plug fouling is completely eliminated.

As environmental studies have proven, the National Capital Region has seen a discernible drop in levels of air pollution since the last two years, despite an increase in the vehicle population by around 200,000 units during the same period.

B) The Mashelkar Report also recommends deferring the Implementation of Euro III Norms to April 2010 and Euro IV norms to an indeterminate date in the future, "depending on cost and technology". The auto industry has agreed to implement Euro 3 norms by April 2004 and Euro IV norms by April 2007.

Other Mashelkar Report recommendations
•  Refineries and manufacturers to invest Rs 60,000 crore in technology upgradation.
•  Continue using diesel and petrol in view of existing investments in infrastructure.
•  Use of low sulphur (500 PPM) diesel.
•  Conversion of diesel engines to CNG is too expensive.
•  Not enforcing use of a single fuel, ie CNG.
•  Investment of Rs 1650 crore to create an enforcement infrastructure.

In normal circumstances, the report would not have been so controversial, but its recommendations created a furore since the government accepted the report overnight, as if waiting for the opportunity of an Exit route from the 'Only CNG' policy of the Supreme Court.

Also, the government immediately deferred implementation of the Supreme Court's orders, believing that it would be able to convince the court of the wisdom of Mashelkar's recommendations. This further infuriated the court, which subsequently imposed penalties on both the government and transporters for non-compliance with its orders. The final report of the Mashelkar Committee is expected in the near future.

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