India’s Environment Minister Calls SUVs “Criminal”

VOA Breaking News (Voice of America)
November 12, 2010 at 4:55 pm

Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh says the use of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in countries like India is “criminal.”

The Press Trust of India reports Ramesh spoke out against the use of large, fuel-intensive vehicles Friday in New Delhi at a United Nations function on low-carbon transportation.

Ramesh called for reforming the government’s fuel policies to help discourage the use of vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gasses.

He said that a current subsidy on diesel fuel has mostly benefited owners of luxury cars, like BMWs, and is not helping ordinary people.

Ramesh also called for mandatory fuel efficiency standards.

Some information in this story was provided by AFP.