Industries should get enough time to adop PNG, especially in the areas where pipeline is not laid: MIWA

Gurugram, July 29 (KNN) In a total of more than 625 units in Gurugram, around 74 units have adopted Piped Natural Gas (PNG) while remaining 160 are in the process to complete it.

According to the order directed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), industries in the NCR that are yet to opt for piped natural gas (PNG) instead of the traditional fuels even after availability of it might face closure.

Combining both Gurugram and Faridabad, there are more than 1,539 such units. Industries like machine parts, wood and textiles had to apply the PNG system in place of fuels like diesel, husk, and coal. A total of 139 industries have done this. Out of 914 units in Faridabad, only 62 units have switched while 246 are under process. In 2017, the Supreme Court banned the usage of traditional fuels like pet coke and furnace oil in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

In December 2018, a meeting of the CPCB task force held to tackle the air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Then, it was decided that all industries in Delhi-NCR wherever gas supply is available, they must switch to PNG by March 31, 2019. Adoption of PNG was extended then up to April 30.

Speaking to the KNN India, Manmohan Gaind, Secretary-General of Manesar Industries Welfare Association (MIWA) said, “Laying of PNG is a good step taken by the authority but wherever the infrastructure of PNG is unavailable, it is a major problem. There is no such problem in PNG laid industries and where the pipeline is unavailable it is a problem. Industries should get enough time to adopt it and otherwise it would affect the operation of industries. Such decisions should be implemented according to infrastructure availability around the industry. Government has to step in and look after the issue”.

On the other hand, Director of Faridabad Industries Association (FIA), Col S Kapoor (retd.) condemned the move saying that industries who had installed modern technologies 2 years back, how could they convert their industry completely into PNG in a short span of time.

Sharing the concerns of the industry with various Minister he said, “Last week we met to the Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar, Textile Minister Smriti Irani and Industries and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. We have urged them to look into the matter and take measures to protect the industry.

Earlier this month, the CPCB noted that despite the availability of PNG supply in the area, a bulk of industries have not switched their fuels. The authority directed to the HSPCB, with the state pollution control boards of Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The order was directed under Section 18(1)(b) of the Air (Prevention of Control and Pollution) Act, 1981, “to issue the directions to industries of Delhi NCR that falls in this category.