The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an order mandating a coloured strip to identify four-wheeled BSVI vehicle.

Note important PM levels allowed under BS VI norms. Note how it is different from the earlier BS IV norm.

Details of the colour band

• MoRTH has mandated a strip of green colour of 1 cm width on top of the existing sticker carrying details of registration for BS-VI.
• Vehicles of any fuel type will carry the green strip irrespective of their original stickers i.e. for petrol or CNG which have a light blue colour sticker and a diesel vehicle which is of orange colour.
• These stickers will now have a green strip of 1 cm on top for BS-VI, as mandated.

Back2Basics:  Bharat Stage Norms

Minutes of BS-VI

• Carmakers would have to put three pieces of equipment — a DPF (diesel particulate filter), an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system, and an LNT (Lean NOx trap) — to meet stringent BS-VI norms, all at the same time.
• This is vital to curb both PM (particulate matter) and NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions as mandated under the BS-VI norms.

How is BS-VI Different from BS-IV?

• The major difference between the existing BS-IV and forthcoming BS-VI norms is the presence of sulphur in the fuel.
• While the BS-IV fuels contain 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur, the BS-VI grade fuel only has 10 ppm sulphur content.
• Also, the harmful NOx (nitrogen oxides) from diesel cars can be brought down by nearly 70%.
• In the petrol cars, they can be reduced by 25%.
• However, when we talk about air pollution, particulate matter like PM 2.5 and PM 10 are the most harmful components and the BS-VI will bring the cancer-causing particulate matter in diesel cars by a phenomenal 80%.

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