Green cars only for Calcutta

CALCUTTA, India, May 17 (UPI) -- The Indian city of Calcutta has barred all cars built before 1990 unless they switch to green fuel.

This follows a report from the local Cancer Research Institute at Calcutta University the city is the most polluted urban area in India, and "serious respiratory ailments" affect half the city's residents. Lung cancer rates are also soaring.

The old vehicles must either be scrapped or converted to liquefied petroleum gas or compressed natural gas, and officials estimate at least 50,000 vehicles will be junked -- including 10,000 taxis, 7,000 buses, 6,700 automobile rickshaws, 1,100 minibuses and nearly 30,000 trucks.

"We have given owners of these old vehicles an option," state Transport Minister Subhash Chakrabarty told The Hindu. "They can take advantage of it if they want to continue using their old vehicles."