Jairam Ramesh - Use of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in India is "criminal"

Use of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in countries like India is "criminal", Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Friday and pitched the need for evolving an effective fuel policy regime to discourage the use of such vehicles that emit more carbons.

"The luxurious growth of large-size vehicles like SUVs is really a growth of concern... use of vehicles like SUVs and BMW in countries like India is criminal," Ramesh said at a UN function here.

"I think, we seriously need to think about fuel policy regime," he said.

The Minister said there should be a reformed diesel policy as the real beneficiaries of the diesel subsidy are the owners of the "BMWs, the Benzs and Hondas" and not farmers.