Lok Sabha Question No. 3129 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Ban on the use of Coal
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3129

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## Ban on the use of Coal

## 3129.   SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  a  large  number  of  industries  are  still  using unapproved fuel including coal;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  ban  the  use  of  coal  in  industrial  and domestic applications and other miscellaneous applications and if so, the reasons for its lackadaisical implementation; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  find  a  permanent  solution  to  the  air  pollution problem in the mega cities of the countries?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

## (a) & (b)

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas has notified a list of approved fuels to be used by industries in NCR.

Of a total  of about  7,760  fuel  based  industries  presently  operating  in  NCR,4082  industries have  opted  for  running  their  operations  with  PNGand  the  balance  are  now  running  on biomass based fuels / fuelsother than PNG including coal. Only about 320 industrial units across entire NCRhave temporarily ceased their operations on their own, beyond31.12.2022, till they also migrate to cleaner fuels as per theapproved fuel list.

## (c) & (d)

With  a  view  to  abate  air  pollution  in  the  Delhi-NCR  region,  shifting  of  industrial  and commercial applications to cleaner mode of fuels like PNG etc. has been a priority  of the Central Government and State Government in the NCR.Coal being the most heavily polluting fuel, it been decided tophase out its use from entire NCR  in  industrial, domestic andmiscellaneous applications (barring use of low Sulphur coal only inthermal power plants), towards aiming for an overall improved airquality in the region. Accordingly, the Commission  for  Air  Quality  Management  (CAQM)  in  NCR  and  Adjoining  Areas  has finalized a policy to curb 'air pollution menace occurring every year in Delhi and National

Capital Region'. The policy inter-alia contains approved fuel list for the Delhi-NCR whereby heavily polluting fossil fuels like coal etc. have been proposed to be banned w.e.f. 01.01.2023 in the entire NCR.

The Government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, timebound programme to reduce air pollution in a comprehensive manner with target to achieve upto  40%  reduction  in  PM10  concentration  level  by  the  year  2025-2026  w.r.t.  baseline  of 2017-18. City specific clean air action plans under NCAP have been prepared and rolled out for  implementation  in  these  131  non-attainment/million  plus  cities  by  the  concerned stakeholders including State Governments. The specific clean air action plans target the city specific air polluting sources viz. vehicular emission, road dust, biomass/crop/garbage/MSW burning, construction activities, industrial emission and other city specific sources etc.NCAP strategy includes the following actions:

- (i) Clean  Air  Action  Plans  at  National,  State  and  City  levels  for  source  specific mitigation actions;
- (ii) Financial incentive structure for targeted cities  linked  with  air quality  improvement performance (49 cities under XVth Finance Commission grants and 82 cities funded under NCAP)
- (iii) Coordinated actions by Central Ministries and State Governments and their agencies;
- (iv) Convergence of resources from schemes of Central Government, State Government and Urban Local Bodies;
- (v) Building of a mass movement - Jan Andolan.

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