Stepping up it is a war against pollution, the Supreme Court on 6^th February said instead of several authorities submitting several reports to the court it was better for them to sit together and follow an uniform and synchronized approach.

It asked Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi government, Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control and Prevention Authority (EPCA) Haryana, Uttar Pardesh and Rajasthan to hold a meeting within two weeks and come out with a comprehensive plan to check pollution in Delhi and NCR region.

‘BAN PET COKE, FURNACE OIL’

Terming pet coke and furnace oil used by several industries as the only one biggest source of pollution in Delhi and NCR, the Supreme Court on 6^th February directed the Centre to take a step within one month on banning polluting fuels like furnace oil and pet coke used in industries.

The order from the bench headed by justice Madan B Lokur came on the testimonial by special Environment Pollution Control and Prevention Authority (EPCA) Giving the order, the bench cited 3000 premature deaths in Delhi every year due to air pollution. It also regarded to a Central Pollution Control Board study of 2008 which said one-third of delhi’s children had lung problems.

Although Delhi Pollution Control Committee had announced them as “unacceptable fuel” way back in 1996 but they are not prohibited outside Delhi borders and are being increasingly used by industries in the NCR, exacerbating the pollution problem.

Emphasising that quality of fuel plays a decisive role in quantum of pollution generated, EPCA members Sunita Narain and Anumita Roychowdhury of the Centre for Science and Environment had earlier informed the apex court that sulphur level in furnace oil and pet coke is many times higher as compared to other fuel.

“The  contaminant in fuel, cause of high levels of pollution, is sulphur- this is emitted in the form of particulates and also in the form of gas, sulphur dioxide. Due toIndia has moved from petrol/diesel with 10,000 ppm of sulphur in 1996 to 50 ppm in 2010 (to be extended nationwide in April 2017),” said its report filed in Supreme Court.