Delhi govt bans diesel generators to check air pollution

"Delhi Pollution Control Committee hereby bans the operation of electricity generator sets of all capacities, run on diesel, petrol or kerosene in Delhi with effect from October 15 till further orders, excluding those used for essential or emergency services," an official order read.

New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal government has banned use of electricity generators run on diesel, petrol and kerosene, except those needed for essential or emergency services, in the national capital as anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) come into force from Thursday in the Delhi-NCR region.

GRAP, which comes into effect in Delhi and its vicinity towns according to the severity of air pollution, was first notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017 for implementation through the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority.

"Delhi Pollution Control Committee hereby bans the operation of electricity generator sets of all capacities, run on diesel, petrol or kerosene in Delhi with effect from October 15 till further orders, excluding those used for essential or emergency services," an official order read.

The DPCC also directed power companies to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the consumers.

It also issued an order implementing EPCA's directions to enforce GRAP from Thursday.

The EPCA had earlier directed that large construction projects, including highways and metro, will have to provide undertakings to state pollution control boards/pollution control committees that they will assure adherence to the prescribed norms for dust management.

"Industries, particularly in the Red and Orange category, will provide an undertaking that they will use only authorised fuel and will not operate without adequate pollution control measures," it had said.

(With inputs from agencies)