Toxic fuels that were banned in Delhi in 1996 are not only being used by industries elsewhere in the National Capital Region (NCR), but have gained in popularity, a study by the Environment Pollution (Control and Prevention) Authority (EPCA) has found.
As per the report of the EPCA, which was submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday, “large quantities” of furnace oil was being sold in Delhi and the NCR by public sector undertakings and Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL).
According to the report, the sale of furnace oil and petroleum coke (pet coke) this year has been higher than last year — possibly due to the fall in global fuel prices.
About 30,000 metric tonnes of furnace oil is sold in the NCR every month, said the EPCA. That being said, RIL had informed the EPCA that Delhi was only the point of billing and not the location of customers.
‘Causing pollution’
“The EPCA is unable to verify this but it is clear that even if this fuel is sold in the NCR, it adds to the burden of pollution in the region,” said the report.
In fact, the study found that the furnace oil being sold in the region had sulphur levels between 15,000 to 20,000 parts per million (ppm). The pet coke tested had sulphur levels of 69,000 ppm for the imported variety and 74,000 ppm for the domestic.
“This is when we have reduced sulphur content in transport fuel, for instance for diesel it’s 50 ppm. The substitute for furnace oil is natural gas, which the government taxes. There is a need to give incentives for clean fuels,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, a member of the EPCA.
