Only 8 per cent petrol pumps in country have mandatory system to counter toxic emissions

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, August 10

Disregard for public health and environment in a country currently witnessing the proof of global warming-induced climate change can be judged from the fact that only 6,322 of 80,000-plus petrol pumps in the country seem to have the mandatory Vapour Recovery System to counter toxic emissions. The machines are necessary in view of the adverse effects of chemicals like benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene on human health and environment, according to the CPCB.

Petrol pumps are a major source of benzene emission, a carcinogenic compound, and other VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emission that can lead to formation of secondary particulates and ground level ozone.

It is a matter that has been pending since 2018.

Notably, the Supreme Court on March 14, 2023, directed the CPCB to ensure that all the retail petroleum outlets located in cities with a population of more than one million and a turnover of more than 300 kilolitres a month install VRS within the fresh timeline.

The court was responding to a set of appeals seeking to challenge an order passed by the National Green Tribunal in December 2021 directing the CPCB as well as SPCBs to issue directions to make VRS mandatory for obtaining consent for new retail petroleum outlets as well as existing retail petroleum outlets.

Earlier around 2018, the NGT had directed public companies to install vapour recovery devices at all fuel stations by October 31 to tackle the menace of toxic emissions at petrol pumps.

Haryana has maximum VRS

According to a written reply today in the Lok Sabha by Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, 6322 petrol pumps of PSU Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) had VRS as on July 1, 2023.The maximum number of VRS—1828—was in Haryana, followed by 918 in Uttar Pradesh, 614 in Maharashtra and 579 in Karnataka.

Delhi and Chandigarh appear to have a good coverage with 392 and 28 petrol pumps, respectively, having the system. In contrast only 55 petrol pumps in Punjab, three in Uttarakhand and nil (zero) in Himachal Pradesh had the VRS.

Chandigarh has 47 petrol pumps, Punjab 3677, Haryana 3368, Himachal Pradesh 572 and Delhi 396.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli told the Parliament in March 2022 that there are 82176 ROs operational by both public and private sector in the country. The highest are 9356 in UP, followed by 6756 in Maharashtra and 5871 in Tamil Nadu. Among the UTs, Jammu & Kashmir has the maximum number of petrol pumps—as many as 584.

VRS for toxic emissions

Vapour recovery device is an instrument to capture displaced vapours that emerge from inside a vehicle’s fuel tank when petrol or diesel is dispensed into it.

Initially, the courts had directed OMCs to install VRS at all retail outlets (petrol pumps) located in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). The minister said OMCs have since installed VRS at all retail outlets in Delhi -NCR as per the directions of the NGT and Supreme Court.“Accordingly, PSU OMCs have initiated action as per the directions of NGT/CPCB,” he said.

Later the CPCB also issued directions to OMCs for installation of VRS at all existing retail outlets (except Delhi -NCR) selling motor spirit more than 100 KL per month and located in million plus cities, and retail outlets selling more than 300KL per month and located in cities with population between one lakh to one million.

A couple of years back the NGT noted that the “matter is pending for over two years.”

“The timelines prescribed by the CPCB have expired. There is no justification for the long delay which has already taken place in the matter in taking requisite steps necessary for protection of environment and public health,” the NGT bench was quoted as saying in 2018, directing oil companies like Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd to install Stage-I and Stage-II vapour recovery devices by October 31 that year to stop toxic harmful compounds from entering the air.

On whether environmental compensation was levied against the defaulter oil companies failing to install VRS with the sale potential of 100 KL per month, the minister today said that “CPCB levied environmental compensation of Rs 1 crore each on PSU OMCs on account of non-compliance of timelines of VRS installation for Delhi directed by NGT. However, the Environmental Compensation amount was refunded by CPCB as the timelines were extended by the Supreme Court.”