Yet again a handful of manufacturers of diesel engines for generator sets have succeeded in getting more time to comply with emission standards. The norms were notified by the Union ministry of environment and forests (moef) in 2002, after it had dithered on the issue for a long time. While the industry was originally supposed to have fallen in line by January 1, 2003, the extended deadline for it to adhere to air and noise emissions standards was July 1, 2003. Now, the Central Pollution Control Board (cpcb) has recommended to the MoEF that the manufacturers be granted one more year's time.

Rallying for extension of the deadline, the section of the industry convinced the MoEF and CPCB that even the second deadline was not realistic. The ministry will soon be amending the Environment (Protection) Second Amendment Rules, 2002, in effect giving the genset diesel engine-makers a licence to continue polluting the environment.

The move comes subsequent to a meeting on June 6 between diesel engine manufacturers and the CPCB to evolve a consensus within the industry. It is noteworthy that though some manufacturers wanted a wider time-frame, others were ready to conform to the 2002 rules (see: