In a bid to cap the polluting fumes emitted by thousands of vehicles in Jharkhand’s cities, the government is thinking of putting in place liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dispensing stations. In an affidavit filed before Jharkhand High Court in Ranchi on Thursday, the government informed that as a pilot project, the gas filling stations would come up in the four districts of Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Dhanbad. The gas stations will cater to private vehicles, which have the option of running on LPG. Vehicles that run on petrol or diesel can be fitted with LPG kits, the affidavit said. Presenting the government’s case, counsel R.R. Mishra informed a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Tatia and Justice Jaya Roy that the state government had been thinking of starting the LPG stations to check vehicular pollution. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Rajneesh Mishra, complaining about the increasing pollution in the capital. Mishra in his petition had said vehicular pollution in the city could be controlled in a big way if CNG was introduced in the capital. The state government informed the court that the Union government was responsible for setting up compressed natural gas (CNG) pipelines and stations in the state. “The state does not have any role to play in the matter as CNG is governed by the Union petroleum ministry,” the government counsel informed. The court then questioned the Union government as to whether it was inclined to set up CNG stations in the state, as it had done elsewhere. Meanwhile, Ranchi district transport officer Ajay Kumar Singh also filed an affidavit before the court and informed that periodic inspection of vehicles for sound and air pollution were being carried out. The department has recovered Rs 1.59 lakh in fines for the use of pressure horns, which are banned. The department also recovered Rs 24,000 from sound pollution offenders during this period, Singh said. The high court directed the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board to file an affidavit and furnish the details of pollution levels in different parts of the capital. The court also ordered the Board to inform what steps have been taken by it to check pollution in the capital. Petitioner Mishra had said the city was reeling under pollution caused from commercial and private vehicles. He alleged that the pollution control board was not discharging its duties well and polluting vehicles were plying with impunity in the city. Do you think motorists will willingly install LPG kits in their vehicles?