New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS): The government's decision to skip one stage and leapfrog to Bharat Stage (BS) VI standards in 2020 was a great step forward and will lower the gap between emission standards for diesel and petrol vehicles, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said on Thursday.

The CSE hailed the government's move, calling it a "landmark" decision.

"This is a game-changer decision and will help India leapfrog to much cleaner emissions. This is needed at a time when India is motorising very rapidly. Stringent emission standards are needed to reduce the pollution impact of this immense motorisation," CSE director general Sunita Narain said in a statement.

As India leaps from BS IV to BS VI, particulate emissions from diesel cars will be reduced by 68 percent, and 87 percent from heavy duty vehicles, the CSE said.

The current emissions standards of BS IV in a few cities and BS III in the rest of the country are 10-15 years behind the norms followed by Europe, the organisation added.

"These outdated emission standards allow diesel vehicles to emit several times more nitrogen oxides and particulate matter compared to petrol vehicles. The government's latest move will reduce the time lag with Europe to just six years in 2020," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy in CSE.