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NEW DELHI: Use of coal as fuel in industrial, domestic and miscellaneous applications will be banned across Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) from January 1 next year. The ban will, however, not be enforced on thermal power plants that use low sulphur coal.
The restrictions/ban on use of coal will come in force with effect from October 1 for the areas where piped natural gas
(PNG) infrastructure and supply is already available and with effect from January 1, 2023 for the remaining parts where the PNG supply is still not available.
In what could be a significant step towards reducing air pollution in the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday announced a timeline for the ban and asked NCR states and Delhi to start phasing it out while adhering to the deadlines.
Coal dominates industrial fuels in the NCR and current estimates indicate that approximately 1.7 million tonnes of coal is consumed annually for industrial applications in the region, with about 1.4 million tonnes being consumed in six major industrial districts alone.
“Emissions from heavily polluting fuels like coal for various industrial, domestic and miscellaneous purposes contribute significantly to the degradation of air quality in the NCR and adjoining areas and accordingly a consistent need has been felt to switch over to lesser polluting and cleaner fuel in the region,” said CAQM in a statement.
As part of its mandate to shift industries to PNG/cleaner fuels on priority, the Commission had constituted an expert group to examine and deliberate upon all suggestions and proposals in this regard. The panel subsequently recommended phasing out usage of heavily polluting fossil fuels like coal and mandating cleaner fuels, to the extent possible.
Keeping in view airshed approach for the entire NCR and adjoining areas in terms of handling air pollution issues, the CAQM has now decided to phase out use of coal as a fuel from entire NCR in industrial, domestic and miscellaneous applications (barring use of low sulphur coal only in thermal power plants), with an aim for an overall improvement of air quality in the region.
The restrictions/ban on use of coal will come in force with effect from October 1 for the areas where piped natural gas
(PNG) infrastructure and supply is already available and with effect from January 1, 2023 for the remaining parts where the PNG supply is still not available.
In what could be a significant step towards reducing air pollution in the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday announced a timeline for the ban and asked NCR states and Delhi to start phasing it out while adhering to the deadlines.
Coal dominates industrial fuels in the NCR and current estimates indicate that approximately 1.7 million tonnes of coal is consumed annually for industrial applications in the region, with about 1.4 million tonnes being consumed in six major industrial districts alone.
“Emissions from heavily polluting fuels like coal for various industrial, domestic and miscellaneous purposes contribute significantly to the degradation of air quality in the NCR and adjoining areas and accordingly a consistent need has been felt to switch over to lesser polluting and cleaner fuel in the region,” said CAQM in a statement.
As part of its mandate to shift industries to PNG/cleaner fuels on priority, the Commission had constituted an expert group to examine and deliberate upon all suggestions and proposals in this regard. The panel subsequently recommended phasing out usage of heavily polluting fossil fuels like coal and mandating cleaner fuels, to the extent possible.
Keeping in view airshed approach for the entire NCR and adjoining areas in terms of handling air pollution issues, the CAQM has now decided to phase out use of coal as a fuel from entire NCR in industrial, domestic and miscellaneous applications (barring use of low sulphur coal only in thermal power plants), with an aim for an overall improvement of air quality in the region.
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