EPCA tightens noose on industries, pushes for PNG

‘EASE OF BREATHING’ CAN’T BE COMPROMISED FOR ‘EASE OF BUSINESS’, SC-APPOINTED PANEL TELLS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) issued an ultimatum to industries in DelhiNCR to shift to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) and stop using polluting fuels or face closure.

Announcing the push, the Sc-appointed body pointed towards a recent report by Safar, a pollution forecasting agency under the Union government, which claimed that industrial emissions in Delhi have shot up by 48% between 2010 and 2018.

In a meeting held with some Ncr-based industrial associations on Friday, EPCA said that “ease of breathing” cannot be compromised for “ease of business.”

“We would be pushing for PNG as we can’t see any other option to clean up the industrial sector. We would also purse the government to bring PNG under GST and bring down the tax components. This would bring down the price of gas by at least 20% and make it more economical for industries,” said Sunita Narain, member of EPCA.

The Sc-appointed body said it would also call a meeting with the industrial associations of Delhi and the gas supplying companies to resolve issues raised by industries such as high price of gas. Industrial associations from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have claimed that high cost of PNG is preventing them from shifting to the gas.

A senior Delhi government official said that out of the 2,000odd industries operating from the city’s industrial zones, at least 1,150 have shifted to PNG, while application of 229 are under process. Nearly 412 industries have been asked to close down.

“Some polluting industries have either shifted to residential areas or have moved out of Delhi and are now operating from NCR towns. This is illegal. The Sc-appointed body on sealing has sealed at least 140 such industrial units operating illegally from residential areas in the last week,” said EPCA chairman Bhure Lal.

EPCA members were informed by pollution control boards that under the provision of “ease of doing business” officials are not allowed to enter the industries. Many industries still use tar oil and coal after switching off their monitoring system at night, so government is unable to monitor the emission levels.

The representatives of industries blamed vehicles for causing greater pollution to which thoracic surgeon Arvind Kumar, also an EPCA member, said if the consequences of pollution were known, this “whole discussion will pale into insignificance”.

EPCA CHAIRMAN FINDS VIOLATIONS AT MUNDKA AND TIKRI

Industrial associations of Mundka have assured Bhure Lal, chairman of EPCA that they won’t openly dump or burn rubber and plastic waste that trigger pollution. Lal said there was rampant violations of norms at Mundka industrial area and PVC scrap market in Tikri. “Industrial associations have assured us that they will store the waste rubber and plastic in their own backyards and send them to waste to energy plants. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation would help the industries to tie up with energy plant,” Lal said. Lal is scheduled to visit other areas like Narela, Bawana and Anand Vihar next week.