EPA had already proposed the ban on registration of new diesel commercial vehicles in the Capital and the Delhi government's Environment Department had issued a circular making this proposal effective from April 1, 1998. But just before the Assembly elections, in October, the order was withdrawn.However, in a fresh appeal, EPA has asked the Delhi government to implement the full ban, including non-commercial vehicles, says Bhure Lal, chairperson of EPA.

``If the ban is not implemented, the suspended particulate matter (SPM) levels in Delhi's air will only increase, defeating the purpose of our ban,'' he says.

Terming thenew diesel models as the ``dieselisation of Indian automobiles'', Anil Agarwal, director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), accused the automobile industry of trying to make profits at the cost of citizens' health. CSE's research shows that diesel emissions are very toxic and that the effect of such emissions on health was being ignored by the industry.

``Diesel is notorious for highly toxic particulate emissions and emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides, also a precursor to forming ozone, which is also harmful,'' says Aggarwal.

Members of the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), which include Ford Mahindra, Hindustan Motors and TELCO, are visibly enraged with the idea of this ban being enforced in the National Capital Region. With Delhi being one of the largest markets for cars, they foresee a direct hit in their sales graphs if the ban is enforced.

Three new diesel car models--the Fiat Uno, Zen Diesel and Opel Astra-have been launched in the market this year, and threemore are in the pipeline, including TELCO's Indica, the Mercedes E250 and a three-wheeler from Bajaj Auto. The Ford Escort and Peugeot 309 diesel versions were launched last year. Maruti also plans to manufacture diesel versions of its Gypsy and Esteem. Other models such as TELCO's Sierra, Estate and Sumo, and Premier Automobiles' NE 138 diesel are also available in the market currently.

The automobile industry's view that diesel cars would be more fuel-efficient and emit less carbon mono-oxide and hydrocarbons, is not being bought by the activists. They say that the industry is deliberately ignoring the other toxic effects of nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter emissions, which have been declared as carcinogenic in some parts of the US and Japan.

``The SPM levels and nitrogen oxide levels in Delhi have been far above the permissible limits. If Delhi was a European city, there would have been a smog alert almost every day, warning citizens prone to asthmatic attacks and chest infections tostay at home. Most people would be at home instead of going to work,'' says Agarwal.

AIAM president V M Raval, also managing director of TELCO, says that the industry is ready to comply with any pollution standards prescribed. Moreover, he says, even in Europe, the number of diesel vehicles on the roads is increasing. ``It is not right to single out any one fuel technology as the villain of the emission scenario,'' says Raval. ``Instead of legislating ad hoc measures such as the proposed ban, the government should address the overall issue of pollution with an integrated perspective.''AIAM has already undertaken several pollution-friendly initiatives like setting up the Automotive Fitness Certification Institute, Fuel Testing Laboratory, road safety action plans and an Automotive Research Fund.

``But the problem here lies with the diesel and not the manufacturing,'' contends Agarwal. He points out that despite the Petroleum Ministry already importing low sulphur diesel, the quality of the imported fuel isbad. India imports diesel that has 0.25 ppm sulphur, which is still higher than the best diesel-Swedish diesel that has 0.001 ppm of sulphur.

``We use three times more diesel than petrol, so even with 0.025 ppm sulphur, the diesel is quite potent. Why can't the government import better quality diesel?'' asks Agarwal.

CSE has worked out that to import better quality diesel, the government will have to increase the price of diesel by only 12-16 paise for European class diesel (0.05 ppm of sulphur) and Rs 1.12 to Rs 1.16 to import the best diesel (Swedish).

``Diesel is being kept cheaper by the government as it is not being taxed, while petrol (the better fuel) is being taxed heavily to cross-subsidise kerosene. If diesel is really meant to be cheap because it benefits the poor, why are luxury cars entering this category?'' says Sunita Narain of CSE.

While the debate on diesel rages on, EPA's recommendation that all commercial vehicles switch to greener fuels like CNG, has been passed by the SupremeCourt and commercial vehicles are expected to start using this fuel from April 1, 2000, onward.

``We are working with the DDA and the urban development authorities to allot more land for CNG stations. We need at least 80 CNG stations operating in the city to make all commercial vehicles switch over to CNG,'' says Lal.With EPA and the environmentalists working toward the ban, manufacturers of diesel vehicles are increasingly being pushed into a corner with few options before them.