(Eds: Repeating after changing a word in intro)Panaji, Oct 14 (PTI) Union minister Nitin Gadkari hassaid India must use pollution-free methanol as fuel, likeSweden, which is switching over to it from diesel.
He said that in a bid to reduce pollution at sea, theCentre has initiated talks with engine manufacturers to makebio-fuel compliant engines for ships.
The Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways andShipping also announced that the government is developing ariver traffic control system on the lines of air trafficcontrol.
"We must use pollution-free methanol as fuel that isavailable at Rs 22 a litre. In Sweden, they are changing fromdiesel to methanol," he said yesterday at the second day of'Sagar Discourse', currently underway in South Goa.
The programme organised by Forum for Integrated NationalSecurity is being attended by representatives from 22countries.
The government is committed to reduce pollution at sea,for which initial talks with engine manufacturers, includingWartsila and Cummins, have begun to make bio-fuel compliantengines for Indian shipping vessels, Gadkari said.
Expressing concerns over pollution on land and at sea,the minister said constructing a new road lane costs thecountry Rs 80,000 crore and leads to 22 per cent increase inautomobile population.
"We want to discourage road traffic and promote public(transport) and water transport," he said referring to variousinitiatives that have been launched in the Ganga andBrahmaputra rivers, and the states of Tamil Nadu and AndhraPradesh.
"We are creating 40 river ports with three-metre draftand will have a river traffic control on the lines of airtraffic control," he said.
Calling for port-led development, Gadkari said USD 50-60billion are being put in for infrastructure development forport connectivity that will lead to industrial investment ofUSD 110 billion and boost employment. PTI RPS NPANB.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.