Public health and environment cannot be redeemed if India chooses to use highly polluting fuels even though better options exist. The increasing consumption of pet coke and furnace oil is a good instance of where we are erring
Inspite of the availability of renewable energy, natural gas and electricity many commercial and industrial units in and around Delhi-NCR have been using a much more viable and easily available alternative — pet coke and furnace oil — to power their businesses. The absence of stringent measures to check the rampant usage of these highly polluting and toxic fuels has only increased the dependence on these fuels and thrown environmental and public health concerns into the backseat.
Way back in 1996, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had declared these fuels as unacceptable for daily use, given the severity of the pollution they cause.
But the DPCC diktat has proved to be toothless, as more than a decade later, these fuels are still being used increasingly in the NCR, aggravating the already severe pollution problem.
Various studies have proven that pet coke and furnace oil used by industries are the single biggest source of pollution in Delhi and NCR. The Central Pollution Control Board too has been red flagging the use of pet coke and furnace oil since it released its research report in 2008, that highlighted the cause of increasing human casualties being the rapid rise in the use of pet coke and furnace oil.
Today, Delhi suffers 3,000 premature deaths every year due to air pollution. Besides, it has nearly one-third of its children suffering lung and respiratory problems; the use of these fuels is adding to the woes. The quality of fuel has been sliding across India due to multiple reasons, such as adulteration and poor refining standards. The impact of the use of pet coke and furnace oil is even more telling in this regard, since sulphur level in furnace oil and pet coke is many times higher as compared to in other fuels. This results in a quantum jump in pollution levels.
Sulphur is the main contaminant in fuel and is responsible for high levels of pollution. It is for this reason that India had moved from petrol and diesel with 10,000 ppm of sulphur in 1996 to 50 ppm in 2010. Furnace oil and pet coke being the last grade produced by refineries is comparatively affordable but since it contains excessively high concentration of sulphur, it is very polluting.
The situation in Delhi-NCR is also getting worse due to slack control on and regulation of these fuels. For instance, while natural gas is taxed, furnace oil is not. Pet coke, which has over 70,000 ppm of sulphur as against 50 ppm in diesel, is absolutely free of any control with regards to its quality and use. The fact that there is no rule or policy regulating the use of these fuels in Delhi-NCR is not helping either.
A great deal of concern has been evinced by the Delhi Government and the Union Government regarding the adverse impacts of polluting fuels such as pet coke and furnace oil, but the authorities must ensure that adequate action too needs to be taken, which is commensurate with the concern shown. For instance, Delhi-NCR has a variety of coal- and gas-based power plants that have a combined capacity to generate 8,588 Mw which is more than enough to cater to the need of the commercial establishments that are currently relying on the usage of polluting fuels such as pet coke and furnace oil, which are definitely more polluting than the coal based-plants or gas-based power units.
Another area for the Government to concentrate on is to increase the efficiency of the existing thermal and gas-based power plants. According to estimates, most of these power plants are operating at only 20 per cent of their installed capacity, which is a major loss of potential. Besides, it renders the power plants into loss-making entities. In order to rectify this issue, the Government must have a relook at its merit order dispatch policy, under which the cheapest power is supplied first.
This means the older plants, which have depreciated their capital, have the lowest fixed costs and hence lowest per unit electricity cost, get to supply first. Due to this rule, most of the electricity being supplied is also most polluting. On the other hand, newer plants with better technology and comparatively cleaner power generation are unable to supply the same since their per unit electricity cost is higher due to relatively higher cost of capital.
Solutions for a cleaner and greener today and tomorrow have always been available, but the intention too has to be there to use them. Public health and environment cannot be redeemed if India chooses to use highly polluting fuels even though better options exist. The continued usage of pet coke and furnace oil is an example of this.
(The writer is an environmental journalist)