Commission for Air Quality Management bans coal usage in NCR

Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) to take stringent action against use of heavy polluting fuels

Highlights:

• Coal stands completely banned in entire NCR (except coal with low sulphur in Thermal Power Plants): CAQM
• Only fuels amongst the standard list of approved fuels shall be allowed across NCR from 01.01.2023.
• The Flying Squad of the CAQM to conduct incognito visits to ensure compliance of Directions.
• Use of unapproved fuels w.e.f. 01^st January, 2023 will straight away lead to closure along with imposition of heavy Environmental Compensation (EC)
• Shifting of industries to PNG/ cleaner fuels, a high priority area for the Commission.

Taking a tough stand against pollution arising out of emissions from heavily polluting fuels like coal from various industrial, commercial and other miscellaneous applications, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) today reminded all sectors including industries/ industrial units to desist from using unapproved fuels including coal (except coal with low Sulphur in Thermal Power Plants) w.e.f. 01.01.2023 or face straight away closure along with imposition of heavy Environmental Compensation (EC). The statutory directions of the Commission require complete elimination of use of coal and other unapproved fuels for various operations/ applications across all sectors (including industrial, commercial and miscellaneous applications), w.e.f. 01^st January, 2023 in the entire NCR.
Statutory directions have already been issued by the Commission regarding permissible fuels for industrial/ domestic/ miscellaneous applications in the NCR in terms of Direction Nos. 64 dated 02.06.2022 and 65 dated 23.06.2022.
Approved Fuels mentioned in the Standard List mandated by the Commission in entire NCR are as follows:

• Petrol (BS VI with 10 ppm Sulphur) as per Notification of Government of India as amended from time to time - Vehicular fuel
• Diesel (BS VI with 10 ppm Sulphur) as per Notification of Government of India as amended from time to time - Vehicular fuel
• Hydrogen/Methane- Vehicular and Industrial purposes.
• Natural Gas (CNG/PNG/LNG) - Vehicular, Industrial and Domestic Purposes
• Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) /Propane/Butane - Vehicular, Industrial and Domestic Purposes
• Electricity - Vehicular, Industrial, Commercial and Domestic Purposes.
• Aviation turbine fuel
• Biofuels (Bio-alcohols, Bio-diesel, Bio-gas, CBG, Bio-CNG) - for Industrial/ Vehicular/ Domestic purposes as applicable.
• Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) for Power plants, Cement plants, Waste to Energy plants.
• Firewood/ Biomass briquettes for religious purposes.
• Wood/Bamboo Charcoal for Tandoors and Grills of Hotels/Restaurants/Banquet Halls (with emission channelization/ control system) and Open eateries/ Dhabas.
• Wood Charcoal for cloth ironing.
• Electricity/ CNG/ Firewood and Biomass Briquettes for Crematoria.

As per Direction No. 65 of the Commission, fuels permissible for selective industrial applications in NCR, only beyond the jurisdiction of NCTD, are as follows:

• Biomass/ Agriculture Refuse and Pellets/ Briquettes - for Industrial Boilers, Power Plants, Biofuel Projects, Cement Industry, Waste to Energy Plants, etc.
• Biomass Pellets/ Briquettes - for Tandoors and Grills of Hotels/ Restaurants/ Banquet Halls (along with mandatory emission channelization/ control system) and for Open Eateries/ Dhabas.
• Metallurgical Coke - For industrial purposes in standalone Cupola based Foundries.
• "Low Sulphur Fuels" namely LSHS, Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil & Ultra-Low Sulphur Fuel Oil - for industrial purposes in metal smelting/melting/ refining/ heating furnaces and kilns.

The Flying Squad of the CAQM are under instructions to conduct incognito visits to ensure compliance of Directions regarding use of approved fuels in the entire NCR. Violations and non-compliance of the directions issued by the Commission including use of unapproved fuels will straight away lead to closure apart from imposing Environmental Compensation (EC) and initiating prosecution action against the defaulters flouting the statutory directions.