India’s Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has welcomed the much awaited notification of the ‘List of approved fuels permissible for use within the borders of the NCT of Delhi’, issued by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi at the end of last month. The notification mandates use of cleaner fuels and bars all toxic and polluting fuels from being used in the city.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, CSE says: “Dust particles in the air get coated with toxic substances from combustion and can go deep into the lungs. Cleaner fuels for combustion are an important step forward to reduce the toxicity of emissions. Clean fuels not only improve the efficiency of emissions control systems, but also reduce emissions of toxic compounds and lower the risk to human health. CSE has been advocating for this notification for some time now.”
The notification lists and allows a limited number of cleaner fuels for use in transport, industry, and domestic sectors, and eliminates a range of dirty fuels to cut toxic emissions. All users have been granted a period of 90 days to transition from their existing fuels to their choice from the approved fuels list.
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Biogas are included on the list of fuels approved for transportation. following fuels are approved for transportation:
Controlling combustion sources is a critical step forward to reduce toxicity of emissions. According to a study by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, combustion sources contribute more than half of PM2.5 in Delhi and all of NOx emissions.
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981 gives state governments, in consultation with State Pollution Control Boards, the power to declare a list of approved fuels for use in their territory or a part of their territory. New Delhi may be the first of many cities to take control of emissions and deliver better outcomes for city residents.
Says Roychowdhury: “With this step forward, the Government of NCT of Delhi can now prioritise stringent enforcement of this notification to reduce the toxicity of emissions in the city.”
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi.
Source: Centre for Science and Environment