Industrialists meet CM Khattar, demand 18 months extension over CAQM directive

Panipat, Oct 13 (KNN) Industrialist from Panipat and Sonipat on Wednesday met with Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Chandigarh over the directions issued by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) to switch over to green fuel.

Following the directions of the CAQM, scores of industries in Panipat, especially dyeing units, export houses, and mink and polar blanket units, were shut down on October 1.

The delegation during the meeting demanded for an extension of up to 18 months for switching from coal to PNG. It also asked for exclusion of Panipat from the National Capital Region. Other key demands put forward were, Stabilisation of the price of  PNG gas, SPM limit to be set at 300, minimal fine and common boiler to be set up in Panipat.

To convey the demands of the Industrialist, Khattar met with Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in Delhi on October 12.

The CAQM had issued directions in February that no industry would be allowed to operate on fossil fuels such as diesel, coke, high speed diesel (HSD) in the NCR after September 30. The commission also said if any industry was found running on banned fuel, a fine of Rs 25 lakh to 1 crore, along with five-year jail, could be imposed on the industry.

The delegation comprised Preetam Sachdeva, president, Panipat Industrialists’ Association; Bheem Rana, president, Panipat Dyers’ Association; Lalit Goyal, president, and Ashok Gupta vice-president, Panipat Exporters’ Association; Shree Bhagwan Aggarwal, president, Sector 29A, Amit Gupta, president, Barhi Industrial Association of Sonepat. The delegation was led by MP Sanjay Bhatia, MLA Pramod Vij and BJP district president Dr Archna Gupta.  (KNN Bureau)