NCR diesel genset ban: Industry seeks one-year extension

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 20

With the deadline of the ban on diesel gen-sets (DG sets) in the National Capital Region (NCR) closing in, the industry has requested for a year’s extension to enable the transition to clean energy.

Very few factories have been able to shift to PNG-based generators, as a comprehensive pipeline network is still underway and supply to units is limited to a few industrial areas in Delhi NCR. Besides, there is an acute shortage of dual fuel kits and RECDs, which is posing a big challenge for manufacturing units, said a press release from the Northern Region of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Industry, especially MSMEs, are stretched thin to mitigate the losses from the pandemic due to added capital investment. Thus, huge installation costs also add to the list of major deterrents for the execution of these orders, it added in a representation to the Ministry of Environment.

Chairman CII Delhi Madhav Singhania said relaxations were required under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) till appropriate affordable technology becomes available to all manufacturing units.

“The need of the hour is for states to ensure 24x7 power supply to industrial areas, which will automatically reduce the dependence of units on DG Sets,” he added.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has made it illegal in NCR to use diesel generator sets from October 1 to check pollution during winter. The existing DG Sets must be converted in hybrid/dual fuel mode (with 70 per cent gas-based fuel and 30 per cent diesel). They are also to be equipped with Retrofitted Emission Control Devices (RECD). Alternatively, only CNG/PNG gensets are to be used by the industrial units from October 1.

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