Patiala, November 16: In view of the rising pollution level in Punjab, the state government plans a CNG pipeline for the industry in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh. The objective is to reduce the use of coal and other solid fuels, and bring down the emission of gases.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has written to the Centre in this connection. The Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) is the supplier for natural gas.
The plan has been submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which has taken note of the poor air quality in the state since 2011. The ambient air quality in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh doesn’t match with the norms of the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ).
In a November 14 letter to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, PPCB chairman Kahan Singh Pannu cited examples of steel rolling mills in Mandi Gobindgarh and Khanna industrial cluster, which uses “liquid as well as solid fuels” to make the case for natural gas.
“In view of serious pollution situation, there is need for gas distribution network in the three industrial cities to switch to cleaner fuels. Ludhiana and Jalandhar — one of the biggest industrial set-ups in the state — needs immediate pipeline connectivity for gas supplies to start,” the letter reads.
Industrialists, however, are reluctant to switch to natural gas because it is expensive than other fuels. “We are already facing losses. Switching to gas will mean that the end product will be expensive. Why target the industry for air pollution when farmers are the biggest culprits. The government has failed to curb pollution caused by stubble-burning,” one of them said.
“We want to provide an alternative to coal and other fuels, and ensure that the industry does not cause air pollution,” Pannu said, adding the plan was to include Khanna in the scheme of things. The air quality of Punjab, already in the “very poor” category, deteriorated because of stubble-burning and bursting of crackers on Diwali.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
