Panel will write to NCR states over emission norms

NEWDELHI: Four months after the Union environment ministry had come up with emission standards of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide for industries, little seem to have changed on the ground. The governments of NCR states have little idea as to how many industries operating in and around Delhi are actually meeting the standards.

Peeved with this, the Supreme Court-mandated panel Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority has decided to direct Delhi and NCR states to issue public notices so that industries comply with the standards. The defaulters would be shut down, EPCA has warned.

“Four months have passed since the standards were set. EPCA chairman had issued letters to the chief secretaries to implement the standards in January. But little seems to have moved on the ground. EPCA would soon write to the chief secretaries again so that the states publish public notices to inform the industries about the standards. Those who don’t comply would be shut down,” said an EPCA member.

The Supreme Court had directed the union environment and forest ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board on May 2, 2017 to fix and implement national SOX and NOX emission standards for 34 industries by December 31, 2017. Subsequently, on January 29, 2018 the union government issued standards for 18 industry categories for control of NOX and SOX emissions.

“This is for the first time that SOX and NOX standards for industries have been set. It is intended to clean up the industrial pollution which contributes around 10% – 11% of the PM10 and PM2.5 load in Delhi’s air apart from adding significantly to the levels of other pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide,” said Polash Mukerjee, senior research associate (air pollution) at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

While officials from Haryana government informed EPCA that they have just issued notices to industries, Uttar Pradesh claimed that they were informed of the centre’s notification by the CPCB, only in mid-april. A meeting was held between EPCA and NCR states on Friday.

“We are of the impression that Sox and NOX standards are not being implemented. If industries continue to use coal or diesel they won’t be able to meet the standards,” said Bhure Lal, chairman of EPCA. Experts said the only cost effective way to meet the standards would be to shift to Piped Natural Gas (PNG). They said that installing systems such as NOX burners and Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) to meet the standards and then install an online monitoring system would require huge investments.