New Delhi, Sept 21 (KNN) The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has made it illegal in NCR to use diesel generator sets fr0m October 1 to check pollution during winter.

With the deadline coming to an end, the industry is seeking for a year’s extension to enable the transition to clean energy.

Speaking about the matter, Chairman CII Delhi Madhav Singhania said relaxations were required under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) till appropriate affordable technology becomes available to all manufacturing units.

Only a small number of units have been fully able to shift to PNG-based generators because the proper pipeline network is still under construction and the supply to these industries is limited.

Besides, there is an acute shortage of dual fuel kits and RECDs, which is posing a big challenge for manufacturing units, said a press release fr0m the Northern Region of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Industry, especially MSMEs, are stretched thin to mitigate the losses fr0m the pandemic due to added capital investment. Thus, huge installation costs also add to the list of major deterrents for the execution of these orders, it added in a representation to the Ministry of Environment.

The existing DG Sets must be converted in hybrid/dual fuel mode (with 70 per cent gas-based fuel and 30 per cent diesel). They are also to be equipped with Retrofitted Emission Control Devices (RECD).

Alternatively, only CNG/PNG gensets are to be used by the industrial units fr0m October 1.  (KNN Bureau)