Panipat: Industries in NCR can now use biomass fuels

Panipat, May 19

In a major relief to the industrialists in NCR, the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) has allowed the use of biomass fuels — paddy straw and rice husk — as fuel in their industries.

Earlier, the CAQM had directed to convert the industrial operation on cleaner fuel such as PNG/CNG, LPG, biogas, propane and butane only up to September 30 in NCR. The CAQM strictly directed that no new industry or under-commissioning industry would be allowed to run on conventional fossil fuels such as diesel, HSD and coke after September 30.

Mink blanket projects to resume

As many as 20-25 big mink blanket projects were stopped after the earlier orders of the CAQM, but after getting the permission to use biomass fuels, these plants will come into existence again. —Pritam Singh Sachdeva, President, Panipat industrial ASSN

The CAQM mentioned in the order that a large number of industrial associations, federations and individuals submitted requests before the commission for permitting the use of biomass fuels in addition to PNG, citing that biomass-based fuels were much more environment friendly than fossil fuels in terms of carbon emissions and particulate matter (PM) emissions were much controlled.

Presently, analysis of PM emissions from industries using biomass fuels for boiler operations indicates that biomass fuels are much superior than conventional fossil fuels, the order reads.

Pritam Singh Sachdeva, president, Panipat Industrial Association said the announcement was a big relief to the industry, especially the textile industry in NCR, as around 64 per cent of the area of the state lies in NCR and has 90 per cent of the industries.