NOC requirement for eateries switching to cleaner fuels relaxed

Mumbai: The Mumbai Fire Brigade will not require eateries to obtain a new No Objection Certificate (NOC) from them if they switch to cleaner fuels like piped natural gas (PNG), provided they are already licensed and have an existing fire brigade NOC.
A BMC official said it is a good move if the establishments are switching to cleaner fuel at the earliest. "We do not want to delay this switching in any way and instead are extending all support towards it. If they already have the fire brigade NOC, then there will not be any need for a new NOC for switching to a clean fuel," he said.
Officials have said that the incomplete combustion of solid fuels in bakeries, hotels, restaurants, tandoors, and open eat-outs leads to the production of carbon dioxide and their by-products, such as carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. "It is appropriate to convert the manufacturing process to cleaner fuel so that the air pollution generated through these industries can be controlled substantially," said the official.
This also comes following a meeting of SP MLA Rais Shaikh with the civic chief on Monday, wherein he, along with members of the bakery association, said that by seeking an NOC, the BMC would prolong the process for the switch that bakeries were asked to make.
"There is no piped gas in city limits where a large number of bakeries are located. How does one then expect these bakery owners to make the switch from solid fuels to cleaner fuel in the next six months," said Shaikh, adding that there is a need for also granting some subsidy to the bakers for whom this switch is going to be a costly affair.
Mumbai: The Mumbai Fire Brigade will not require eateries to obtain a new No Objection Certificate (NOC) from them if they switch to cleaner fuels like piped natural gas (PNG), provided they are already licensed and have an existing fire brigade NOC.
A BMC official said it is a good move if the establishments are switching to cleaner fuel at the earliest. "We do not want to delay this switching in any way and instead are extending all support towards it. If they already have the fire brigade NOC, then there will not be any need for a new NOC for switching to a clean fuel," he said.
Officials have said that the incomplete combustion of solid fuels in bakeries, hotels, restaurants, tandoors, and open eat-outs leads to the production of carbon dioxide and their by-products, such as carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. "It is appropriate to convert the manufacturing process to cleaner fuel so that the air pollution generated through these industries can be controlled substantially," said the official.
This also comes following a meeting of SP MLA Rais Shaikh with the civic chief on Monday, wherein he, along with members of the bakery association, said that by seeking an NOC, the BMC would prolong the process for the switch that bakeries were asked to make.
"There is no piped gas in city limits where a large number of bakeries are located. How does one then expect these bakery owners to make the switch from solid fuels to cleaner fuel in the next six months," said Shaikh, adding that there is a need for also granting some subsidy to the bakers for whom this switch is going to be a costly affair.