The Kerala Pollution Control Board (“Board”) has issued Orders pertaining to retrofitting of Emission Control Devices / Equipment in DG sets with a capacity of 500 kVA and above in the State.
This is being done as Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (“MoEFC”) has launched the National Clean Air Programme for the prevention, control and abetment of air pollution level in the country at an urban and regional level. The Government of India has recognized significant sources of air pollution such as vehicles, DG sets, construction dust etc. and therefore a plan has been put in place for the national level target of 30% reduction of PM2.5 and PM10.
In view of the same, the Board exercising its powers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 has directed all industries and establishments operating DG sets of capacity 125 kVA and above, within the jurisdiction of the state of Kerala to –
- Retrofit all operational DG sets of capacity 500 kVA and above with an Emission Control Device / Equipment having a minimum specified Particulate Matter capturing efficiency of atleast 70% tested as per 5 mode D2 cycle. The Emission Control Device / Equipment must be tested over a ISO-8178 5 mode D2 cycle for equivalent kVA rating by one of the five Central Pollution Control Board, Govt. of India, recognized / approved laboratories as given below –
- Automotive Research Association of India, Pune (Maharashtra)
- International Centre for Automotive Technology, Manesar (Haryana)
- Indian Oil Corporation, Research and Development Centre, Faridabad (Haryana)
- Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun (Uttarakhand);
- Vehicle Research Development Establishment, Ahmednagar (Maharashtra)
Or,
- Shift to gas based Generators by employing new gas based generators or retrofitting the existing DG set for partial gas usage.
All establishments within the jurisdiction of Kerala, which are operating DG sets of 500 kVA and above have to comply by the above mentioned directions by 8th April, 2021.
Source : Kerala Pollution Control Board
