Cleaner fuels mandatory for NCR industrial units

KARNAL: To deal with increasing air pollution i n Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has made use of cleaner fuels mandatory for new industrial units in the NCR.

As per the orders issued under the Air (Prevention and control of pollution) Act 1981, the CPCB has directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board to allow only those new industrial units in the NCR districts of the state which are using cleaner fuels including natural gas (PNG and CNG, liquefied petroleum gas, biogass, propane and butane. The HSPCB has been told to submit an action taken report in this regard to the CPCB within 30 days.

The CPCB has expressed concerns over industries located in 24 districts of NCR from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, which are discharging environmental pollutants directly or indirectly into the air and pose constant threat to the air quality. “This is the quality of air that we are providing to the people living in NCR-Delhi. It is clear violation of their fundamental rights,” the order reads.

The CPCB order mentioned that in spite of availability of PNG in the region, a large number of industries did not switch their operations to PNG. However, officials of these industries had given their representations which are under examination and at this stage coercive action may not be initiated against the industrial units in NCR. However, the order made it clear that following the deteriorating air quality in NCR-Delhi and considering that directions have been issued to all the existing industries in the region to switch over to cleaner fuel.