The Expert Committee on Auto Fuel Policy headed by Dr. R.A. Mashelkar had submitted its report in August 2002.  The report was accepted by the Government in October 2003. The Expert Committee had recommended a review of the policy in 2006.

To take stock of the action taken and deliberate on the way forward PetroFed organised a National Workshop on ‘Auto Fuel Policy – Way forward’ on November 20, 2006 at New Delhi.

Other key organizations like the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), along with its associated members and affiliate companies, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), the State Pollution Control Boards, members of the academia and representatives from other institutes related with the subject of environment protection and auto emissions, besides officials of the oil and gas industry participated in the workshop.  Well over 50 organisation were represented.

Inaugurating the workshop, Sh. Prabh Das, Jt. Secretary, MoP&NG lauded the role of PetroFed for the ‘timely conference’ and being ‘on the forefront in raising issues for the industry and providing valuable inputs to the MoP&NG’.  PetroFed, he said, ‘have done commendable work and are coming up as a strong industry body’ .  He stressed on focusing on vehicle technology and fuel efficiency along with improving infrastructure for mass transportation and reducing tail-pipe emission from existing vehicles. In the global context, he said, countries have improved vehicle technologies and now diesel technologies appear to be catching up with potential benefits of higher efficiency (for full text, please click here).

In his presidential remarks earlier PetroFed Vice Chairman and President (Refinery Business), RIL, Sh. P. Raghavendran called for a review of fuel specifications in line with India’s need and a cost benefit analysis of investments by oil refineries in uniformly upgrading fuel specifications without caring for end-use.  Welcoming participants earlier, Sh. A.K. Arora, Director General, PetroFed exhorted participants for a healthy debate on the subject to improve the ambient air quality considering various dimensions of ‘environment economics’ and ‘sustainable development’.

There was a theme presentation by Dr. R.K. Malhotra, GM, IOC (R&D) as well as presentations on the following:

A summary of the day’s deliberations was presented by Dr. A.A. Gupta, DGM, IOC-R&D (for details, view presentation given hereunder on ‘Auto Fuel Policy issues and Way forward’).

The workshop ended with a vote of thanks by Sh. K.K.Gandhi, Executive Director, SIAM who also called for greater co-ordination and collaboration between the Auto and Oil & Gas industries.

Follwing are the presentation: (right click and 'Save Target As')

1.Theme Presentation  –  Dr. R.K. Malhotra, GM, IOC (R&D)

2.Presentation on Current Status of Air Quality Monitoring and Emission Source Apportionment Studies – Dr. P. Gargava, CPCB

3. Presentation on Factors Contributing to Air Quality Improvement in Delhi – Ms. Anuradha Shukla, Senior Scientist, CRRI

4. Presentation on Implementation of BS-III and BS -IV Fuel Quality Norms – Experience so far and preparedness of Refineries –  by Sh. N.K. Bansal, GM (T), IOC

5. Presentation on Automotive Technologies for BS -III and BS -IV –  Sh. R.R. Akarte, Consultant Advisor (ERC) – TATA Motors Ltd.

6. Presentation on Market Segmentation Approach for Diesel –  Sh. N.S. Murthy, RIL

7.Reducing Pollution from In-Use Vehicles  –  Sh. B. Bhanot, former Chairman, CMVR –TSC and  Director, ARAI

8. R&D in Refinery Processes for Fuel Quality Upgradation –  Dr. R.P. Verma, ED,  IOC (R&D)

9.Emission Control Technologies for Future and Fuel Quality Requirements thereof –  Dr. K. Kumar, Advisor (Engineering), Maruti Udyog Ltd.

10. Summary by A.A. Gupta