The Government of Himachal Pradesh on October 12, 2023, issued amendments to the State Fuel Policy.
The following amendments have been stated:
For Clause-1 titled as Amendment in Page-2: Under the heading "USAGE OF PET COKE" the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-
"In any case, the sulphur content in the Pet Coke fuel being used by the industry shall not be more than 7.5% subject to prior compliance of the following conditions:
• All the operational and upcoming industrial/commercial units utilizing "Pet Coke" as Fuel shall forthwith have to achieve 90% recovery of sulphur emissions as per the notified State Fuel Policy.
• Random and Periodic monitoring of SO2 emissions on air emission points in respect of all such Units shall be conducted by HP State Pollution Control Board through their continuous online real-time monitoring device or otherwise as applicable.
• The above amendment is applicable subject to the outcome of future directions in the Hon'ble Supreme Court matter titled as MC Mehta versus Union of India & Ors. in Writ Petition (s) (Civil) No 13029/1985. Hon'ble National Green Tribunal matter in OA No 67/2019 titled as Sumit Kumar versus State of HP & Ors. with Amarjeet Kumar versus Union of India & Ors.
• The above amendment is applicable subject to future guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF& CC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi.
• All the existing industrial units shall have to switch over to cleaner fuels by December 31, 2024.
• The policy shall be subject to review by the State Government every six months given the results of the SO2 emission levels in the State."
[Notification No. STE-F(1)-1/2023]
