The proposed legislation aims to junk older generation commercial vehicles and offer incentives for purchasing newer trucks.
Heavy duty vehicles account for 5 per cent of India’s vehicle fleet and yet the sector is responsible for more than 70 per cent of vehicular pollution.
According to data from the International Council on Clean Transportation, commercial transportation sources account for a third of particulate matter pollution in India and a higher proportion of nitrogen oxides, both compounds found to be harmful for human health.
Perhaps Australia could learn a lesson or two with the implementation of India’s new policy as trucks as old as 15 to 20 years old are still running the roads of this country particularly in urban areas in container haulage and other local operations.
The latest generation trucks with Euro 5 and Euro 6 compliance are much kinder to the environment and to health and also safety producing a lot less particulate matter or soot (fine black particles chiefly composed of carbon, produced by incomplete combustion). This is the emission that can can travel deep into human lungs and cause serious harm such as coronary heart disease, asthma and other respiratory diseases.
If the government is serious about environmental concerns then a truck replacement program would be a good idea