Boost gas supplies to states: Pradhan to oil firms

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday asked state-owned firms to increase supply of natural gas and alternative fuels to states where the use of polluting petroleum coke and furnace oil has been banned.

The Supreme Court had last month banned the use and sale of petroleum coke — a dirtier alternative to coal — and furnace oil in areas around the national capital, which is battling alarming levels of air pollution. The ban came into effect from November 1.

Following that, the Environment Ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board on November 15 brought into “immediate effect a prohibition on the use of pet coke and furnace oil by any industry, operation or processes within the States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan until further orders”.