“The heavy industries secretary has sought clarification from Volkswagen India on the issue. The Centre would also ask state and automobile companies in general to sensitise them about the subject”, a senior government official said.
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Volkswagen faces a fine of over $18 billion, and its chief executive officer, Martin Winterkorn, resigned on Wednesday.
The allegations against Germany’s largest auto maker were initially raised by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which last week ordered it to recall almost half a million diesel cars on the ground that they were fitted with a device which allowed cars to pass emission control tests by showing much lower levels of pollution than in ordinary use. The cars could detect emission control tests and lower their emission levels.
The emission cheating case has since spread to major European markets like France and Italy. Most of the output is exported to other countries.
In India, Volkswagen sells cars like the premium hatchback Polo, Polo GT, Cross Polo, the new Vento sedan, and the Jetta.
Geete said the government is keeping a close watch on the developments and has asked ARAI to start collecting information on emission levels.
India’s main emission standards – known as Bharat Stage III and Bharat Stage IV – are different from USA ones.
Earlier, the Indian subsidiary of General Motors had been found flouting norms on emission standards. Chibber also said that the roads and transport ministry was not the enforcement agency and the heavy industries ministry has been following up on the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal.
In India, authorities generally conduct random check on cars.
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“Currently, Indian laws are not very clear on the issue”, said Abdul Majeed, partner and auto practice leader at consulting firn PricewaterhouseCoopers.
