Auto expert reject Jairam Ramesh?s SUV comments

New Delhi : Union Environment minister Jairam Ramesh?s comments against use of SUVs on Indian roads have evoked strong response from auto experts, who have slammed the minister?s remarks as those of an ignorant person.

Asking the minister to check ?facts and figures?, auto expert Tutu Dhavan was quoted in reports as saying: ?In the early 90s when the diesel contribution to the automobile was barely between 3-5 per cent, today in 2010 it is almost 37 per cent and what are the volumes we are talking of SUVs in that is not more than 2-3 per cent and how is that going to help anybody in banning SUVs. Why not ban the entire diesel range??

He pointed that in Europe, 60 per cent of the number of vehicles sold in Europe are all running on diesel, adding, ?Diesel engine of course has gone so efficient that it beats the performance of any gasoline engine.?

On Friday, Ramesh had criticised the use of fuel-inefficient Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) on Indian roads by calling their use ‘criminal’.

“The use of vehicles like SUVs and BMW in countries like India is criminal,” he said, in a scathing attack on the use of large vehicles and SUVs.

At the UN workshop on low-carbon transport in India, Jairam Ramesh called for minimum fuel efficiency standards and said his country should overhaul its subsidy system for diesel, after deregulating petrol prices in June.

Giving details of GHG emission of various sectors the Minister said the transportation sector accounts for 7? per cent of our GHG emissions, 38 per cent is electricity, 23 per cent is industry, 17 per cent is agriculture and 7? per cent emission is from residential sector.