Raj industries can now pick best available cleaner fuel

Jaipur: Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) has allowed industrial units in the state to use multi-fuel-based boilers. Earlier, permission was granted for only one sort of fuel, either biomass or gaseous, which comes under the clean fuel category.
With the latest permission, industrial units can now use any of the fuels – gaseous fuels (LPG/PNG/CNG), liquid fuel (except furnace oil), or solid fuel (biomass only) in multi-fuel-based boilers. Insufficient availability of biomass fuel has been keeping industrial units worried as RSPCB takes strict measures to ensure that industrial units use clean fuel. Industrial units had made representations at RSPCB regarding the challenges in availability of biomass and the difficulties they face in ensuring compliance of RSPCB’s order dated March 3, 2023.
“The contribution of industrial emissions to overall air pollution has already been identified in many scientific studies carried out by prestigious institutions in collaboration of RSPCB. Nevertheless, its control remains a big challenge as coal and other dirty fuels are predominantly used by the industries,” said RSPCB chairperson Naveen Mahajan.
To curb industrial emissions in order to improve air quality of the state, RSPCB had imposed restrictions on coal and other dirty, smoke-generating fuels being used in the boilers.
“Now, to help industrial units switch towards economically viable and ubiquitous cleaner fuels, we have decided to allow them to use multi-fuel-based boilers. This will pave the way for future voluntary compliances by entrepreneurs,” added Mahajan.
Use of fuels like coal and furnace oil in industries and boilers not only leads to higher emissions of gaseous pollutants, but also deteriorates the air quality of areas where industrial clusters are located. RSPCB’s March 3 order had directed industrial units to set up new boilers based only on clean fuels like LPG/PNG/CNG/LSHS (low sulphur heavy stock).