[sustran] fwd- Reuters: INDIA'S MARUTI SAYS CUTTING CAR EMISSIONS

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From: "Scott B. Nelson" <scott at communicopia.bc.ca>
Subject: Reuters: INDIA'S MARUTI SAYS CUTTING CAR EMISSIONS

INDIA'S MARUTI SAYS CUTTING CAR EMISSIONS

NEW DELHI - India's leading car-maker Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) said late last
week that following a Supreme Court ruling, it will meet stringent
internationally accepted emmission norms for its vehicles by April 2000.

As a step towards cleaning up New Delhi's notoriously polluted streets,
India's Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that all new cars sold in
and around the national capital must conform to Euro I emission standards
from June 1, and be ready for tougher Euro II rules by April next year.

"We definitely will introduce Euro II (emission norms) by 1 April 2000 as
stipulated by the Supreme Court," MUL's managing director R.S.S.L.N.
Bhaskarudu told reporters after a board meeting.

"With reference to Euro I we have been working very hard and our engineers
have been working very closely with the Suzuki Motor Corp and we are
confident of introducing Euro I by first week of June," Bhaskarudu added.

Maruti, an equal venture between the Indian government and Japan's Suzuki
Motor Corp, said it was unlikely to increase the price of cars to upgrade
technology.

"Immediately, we have no plans to increase the price," said Bhaskurudu.

MUL, which has about 80 percent share of the Indian car market, was hit
most by the court order as only some of its car models met the stiff
emission norms.