India is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol. There is no way we can keep our economy moving without spreading out our energy sources. We should keep in mind that the fossil fuels that we now burn will spew out more carbon if we don't switch to cleaner and sustainable fuels. We will end up paying heavily for polluting the environment.

Following Government Threat That Violators Will Face Action, 5600 Owners Have Applied For Conversion Of Permits After endless extensions, the transport department's scheme for re-registration of school cabs as commercial vehicles finally seems to have found some takers. With the state government coming down heavily on van owners and announcing that stern action will be taken against all violators, the department has been flooded with requests for conversion of permits.

ENERGY SUMMIT Calls for price band mechanism, action against oil speculation JEDDAH : Smarting under oil-inspired runaway inflation, India today asked oil producing nations not to remain a "passive spectator of speculation' and called for adopting a "price band mechanism' to cool down prices. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, addressing the meeting of Energy Ministers in Jeddah, warned that the present situation would eventually hurt all. He said he was speaking with "great anguish' because India's goals were in "grave peril'.

Gunjan Pradhan Sinha & Rajeev Jayaswal NEW DELHI

The German government has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown over its plans to lead a worldwide biofuels revolution on the roads after the discovery that too many cars would be unable to run on the proposed ethanol-petrol mix. The environment minister, Sigmar Gabriel, had planned to introduce the new fuel to motorists next year. It is known as E-10, and 90% of it would consist of petrol and the rest of ethanol.

vehicular pollution is common to most metros. A Kolkata-specific study has highlighted how vehicles in Kolkata emit cancer-causing volatile organic compounds (vocs). The study noted that specific

the central government has thwarted a Delhi government plan to control toxic emissions from diesel vehicles in the capital. In a letter to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Ministry of