The emergency services include: elevators, escalators, travelators, medical facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare establishments), and others.
While Diesel Generator sets in the Delhi-NCR region are set to face a ban starting from October 1, there is an exception for their use in “emergency services” until December 31 of this year, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said in a statement on Friday.
To ensure that essential emergency services are not disrupted and to allow adequate time for the implementation of required emission control measures, the Commission, as a one-time exception, has granted permission for DG Sets of all capacity ranges to operate exclusively for designated emergency services in the NCR. This exception will apply even during periods of restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) but only until December 31.
The emergency services include: elevators, escalators, travelators, medical facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare establishments), railway services, metro services, airports, ISBTs, sewage treatment plants, water pumping stations, and projects related to national security, defense, and national importance.
Following a comprehensive review, and in replacement of all previous directives, orders, and guidelines related to DG set regulations, the Commission has issued a revised schedule for regulated DG set operations, meant solely as a backup against regular power supply failures. This regulation covers all sectors in the NCR, including industrial, commercial, residential, and office establishments.
The Commission has consistently emphasised that the extensive use of Diesel Generator sets is a significant contributor to the Delhi-NCR’s deteriorating air quality, among other factors. As of May 15, the Commission enforced a ban on diesel generator sets in the industrial and commercial sectors of the National Capital Region (NCR).
This decision to completely prohibit diesel gensets during the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) faced strong opposition from resident welfare associations. GRAP serves as an emergency response mechanism, contingent on Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI). It unites multiple stakeholders, implementing agencies, and authorities to address situations of worsening air quality in the Delhi-NCR region. GRAP is scheduled to be effective from October 1 across the entire NCR.
In its efforts to facilitate the implementation process and address the practical and techno-commercial concerns of various stakeholders, the ministry announced a revised schedule for the regulation of DG sets, which will be in effect throughout the NCR starting from October 1, 2023.
Article source: hindustantimes.com
