article on : role of government in curbing pollution
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The main pollutants emitted from the automobiles are hydrocarbons, lead/benzene, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. The main cause of vehicular pollution is the rapidly growing number of vehicles.
The other factors of vehicular pollution in the urban areas are 2-stroke engines, poor fuel quality, old vehicles, inadequate maintenance, congested traffic, poor road condition and old automotive technologies and traffic management system.
Vehicular pollution has grown at an alarming rate due to growing urbanisation in India. The air pollution from vehicles in urban areas, particularly in big cities, has become a serious problem. The pollution from vehicles has begun to tell through symptoms like cough, headache, nausea, irritation of eyes, various bronchial and visibility problems.
In India, the number of vehicles increased from 0.3 million in 1951 to 58.3 million in 2001-02. About half the vehicles are concentrated in 39 metropolitan cities (cities with population of over one million). The two wheelers are the major contributors of vehicular air pollution followed by four-wheeler (e.g., car, jeep, taxi etc.), trucks and buses in decreasing order of magnitude.