Frame plan to shift coal-based units from Delhi-NCR, says SC

New Delhi: After prioritising framing of a long-term plan to tackle vehicular pollution that spikes AQI in Delhi-NCR, Supreme Court on Monday asked ministries of power, industry and environment to submit a proposal for relocating all coal-based industries from the national capital region.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that authorities must also bear in mind the alternative of making available clean fuel — CNG, PNG or LPG — to these industries, if these were to continue operation at their present locations in NCR.
The bench said that while tackling vehicular emission-caused pollution is a priority, it would like to have a proposed long-term plan from the Union ministries and NCR states — Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – on shifting out coal-based industries from NCR.It asked additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati about the fate of thermal power plants (TTPs) operating in NCR. She said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has suggested development of PNG infrastructure in all industrial areas and evolve a uniform and affordable pricing structure for PNG to make industrial consumption economically viable.Bhati said CAQM has also recommended that no new thermal power plants should be established within 300 km radius of Delhi, considering the emission from the coal-based TPPs. CAQM in its status report last month had recommended preparation of an action plan for elimination of coal as fuel in industries in non-NCR areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab.The bench said that on March 12, it will take up the issues related to pollution caused by vehicular emission and asked the NCR states and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to file action plans for relocating toll plazas in areas bordering Delhi to ease perennial traffic congestion at these entry points.Bhati informed the court that authorities have commenced impounding of BS-III norm or below compliant vehicles, which are most polluting. However, the drive against end-of-life BS-IV vehicles — 10 years for diesel and 15 years for petrol — has been halted because of SC's ‘no coercive action' interim order on the govt's application. She said the ‘pollution vs longevity of vehicles' issue is yet to be debated.Amicus curiae Aparajita Singh flagged the sale of refreshments by road-side licensed kiosks on busy roads as one of the major causes of congestion and suggested that such licensed kiosks should be opened only at places with adequate parking facility. SC said it would consider the suggestion on March 12.On Jan 21, CAQM had stated that vehicular emission during winter and dust in summers majorly pollute ambient air in Delhi and NCR, and gave a fat-list of short- and long-term measures to counter them, including mechanism to decongest traffic jams at MCD toll plazas. The bench had then asked all states and civic bodies to submit action plans in four weeks.CAQM told SC that dust is a major air pollutant, accounting for 10-18% load in winter and 25-31% during summer. The transport sector contributes between 19-24% to air pollution in the winter months and 18-21% in the summer months.