UP pollution control board directs industries to switch to natural gas in four months

The Uttar Pradesh pollution control board on Monday directed 20 polluting industrial units to shift from solid fuel to piped natural gas in four months, else face action.

The Uttar Pradesh pollution control board (UPPCB) on Monday directed 20 polluting industrial units to shift from solid fuel to piped natural gas (PNG) in four months, else face action.

Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board also directed the Noida authority to take strict action against developers and builders who are not following dust control norms. (HT File)

These units, located in Noida’s Phase-I, II and III areas, are mostly engaged in dyeing of garments and making carton boxes. They use coal for operations, which causes pollution.

“We have issued a fresh notice to these units, giving them 120 days time to switch to PNG from solid fuel, which produces toxic gases. If they do not shift to PNG within 120 days, we will take legal action against them for causing pollution,” Dr BB Awasthi, regional officer of UPPCB for Noida, said.

According to the UPPCB, there are around 800 industrial units in Noida that use diesel to run machinery. However, UPPCB has not issued notice to them.

“We want owners of these 800 units to switch from diesel to PNG voluntarily. We do not want to force them to convert to non-polluting fuel. We have issued notice to 20 units because these are highly polluting in nature,” Awasthi said.

In the last five months, 325 industrial units have switched from diesel to PNG. “We want to convince owners of industrial units to switch to non-polluting fuel. We are organising workshops to motivate them,” an official said.

UPPCB, in association with Indrapratha Gas Limited (IGL), is organising a workshop on the importance of non-polluting fuel in Sector 27 for industrialists on May 10.

UPPCB has also written to the Noida authority to take strict action against builders and developers causing air pollution through construction activities.

“We want all stakeholders including builders, industrialists and others to voluntarily participate in reducing pollution. We should realise that a healthy environment will benefit all of us,” NP Singh, district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

UPPCB has also asked IGL to extend its PNG network to all industrial areas so that the use of diesel can be discouraged.