Karnal: Industries asked to switch over to PNG by Sept 30

Parveen Arora

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Karnal, February 17

All industrialists of the district, part of the National Capital Region (NCR), have been told by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to switch to piped natural gas (PNG) by September 30 or face action.

Units seek more time from HSPCB

The deadline has upset industrialists where the laying of the PNG pipes may take time. The industrialists have sought more time till the installation of the pipes on the doorstep of all industries.

NGT order of 2019

• In 2019, the NGT and Central Pollution Control Board had directed the industries to switch to the PNG in the Delhi-NCR by August 2019
• Indraprastha Gas Limited, a gas distribution firm, was assigned to lay pipelines for the supply
• Due to the Covid-influenced lockdown and other reasons, the deadlines were extended

As per the data gathered by The Tribune, there are around 500 industrial units in the industrial area, while a number of industries are situated in different parts like Barsat road, Kohand road, Mugal Majra, Alipur, Indri road and others. Around 50 industries of these areas are required to switch to the PNG, of these only 15 are using this fuel, said sources in the HSPCB. The HSPCB has served notices to 35 industries to switch to the PNG by this deadline.

“We have served notices to 35 industries to switch to the PNG by September 30, 2022. If they fail, we will write to the higher authorities for further action,” said SK Arora, regional officer, HSPCB, Karnal.

Manoj Arora, president, HSIIDC Industrial Welfare Association, said no doubt the PNG was cheaper, but still a large number of industries could not switch to this fuel as the pipeline of the PNG was yet to be laid for these industries.

“The PNG lines have been laid in the industrial area where industrialists are getting connections, but there are several areas in the district waiting for the installation of the pipelines. The installation of these pipelines may take time in these areas, so we request the HSPCB to extend the deadline till the reaching of the fuel on the doorstep all the industries,” said the president.

Ankush Jain, DGM, Haryana IGL, said they had laid the pipelines of the PNG in the whole industrial area, for industries on the Alipur, Barsat road and Kohand road, while the work to lay pipelines for the industries in Mugal Majra and on the Indri road was under way and would be operational in a month.

The IGL has already issued around 14,000 domestic connections in Sectors 4/5/6/7/8/9/32/13 and other parts of the city. Of these, around 6,000 are using this fuel. The work to lay pipelines in Model Town, Sector 14, Ashoka Nursery, DC Colony, LIC Colony and other areas is under way, he added.