New Delhi, Apr 9 (IANS): Stating that petrol and diesel-dominated vehicular fuel policy has not only been environmentally damaging but also economically taxing on the common man, the Indian Auto LPG Coalition on Saturday demanded a vehicular fuel policy that would take cognisance of and give due importance and weightage to alternative fuel options such as auto LPG.

Transport sector contributes to 14 per cent of CO2 and 60 per cent of GreenHouse Gases (GHGs) emissions even as air pollution contributes to almost 10 per cent of the disease burden in the country, it said. All metro cities across India face the problem of rising air pollution levels. India is rigorously pushing for electric vehicles (EVs) as one of the solutions to achieve Net Zero by 2070.

"A vehicular fuel policy, therefore, is very important from the point of view of urban air pollution. Auto LPG emits a nearly negligible amount of particulate matter 2.5 as compared to petrol and diesel," said Indian Auto LPG Coalition, Director General, Suyash Gupta.

Electricity generation in India is still carbon-intensive. Setting up charging facilities and other infrastructure for EVs would require additional and substantive investment, he said.

"With the country facing irreversible climate change ramifications and air pollution being a significant component of that multifaceted challenge, we need to make a start somewhere. And tackling air pollution, particularly in our urban centres, must become an instant policy priority for the authorities," Gupta said in a statement.

The Auto LPG Coalition, however, congratulated the government for balancing the need of a growing economy such as India and the imperative of securing a carbon-free and cleaner environment. "However, we need to provide a suitable policy environment for alternative vehicle fuels such as auto LPG in the immediate future. Auto LPG already has a readily-available and functional infrastructure across the country."

"All that the government needs to do is to reduce GST on Auto LPG as well as on conversion kits backed with relaxation in Type Approval norms on the latter. This will immediately address both environmental and economic concerns of the common man," Gupta demanded.