Coal news and updates

An expert panel of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), after examining various gasifier technologies, has recommended certain measures if coal-fired gasifiers are to be in the ceramic cluster of Morbi, to bring pollution levels within the permissible limits.

 

The committee of experts has also recommended a third-party monitoring to ensure compliance of pollution norms - in addition to the routine checks by GPCB and CPCB - twice a year if gasifiers are allowed to be operated.

 

The panel had inspected five modified gasifiers in Morbi's ceramic units and placed its report before Gujarat high court on Wednesday. The bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala has kept further hearing on this issue on Friday.

 

After conducting the inspection and long deliberations among experts, the panel said in its 72-page report: "Considering the large number of gasifiers that have already been installed and that GPCB has already published the guidelines for gasifiers, it would be advisable to incorporate suggestions in guidelines for further upgradation/modification of gasifiers, if allowed to be operated."

 

With this, the committee has laid down a list of parameters that are required to be adhered to while running the gasifiers to bring down pollution to the permissible limits as there was no available technology to ensure 'zero pollution'.

 

The nine-member committee, headed by H K Dash, additional chief secretary of state environment and forests department, also advises long-term solution. "Considering the problems faced by the individual gasifier users, establishing a common gasifier system incorporating all the safety and pollution control measures for cluster of industries is advisable," the report reads.

 

The panel also said, "The association shall explore the possibility of establishing common gasifier facility for a group of industries as long-term solution which seems feasible considering the fact that most of the industries are located within a strip of 30X7 km."

 

The ceramic units run on coal gasifiers were closed following a high court order in October last year. This was in response to a PIL that claimed that coal gasifiers cannot be used due to prohibitory guidelines by CPCB. The rule mandates that such gasifiers have to be run on LNG in Morbi, which produces almost 90% of the wall, floor and vitrified tiles in India. Ever since the court order, many units have switched to expensive natural gas which has hit them hard and put them on a backfoot in their competition with Chinese ceramic industry.

 

 

Source: ToI