Govt notifies standards for gensets running on petrol, diesel

In a first, the Centre has notified standards for generator sets running on petrol, diesel and LPG, a move aimed at curbing air and noise pollution.
The standards, notified by the Environment Ministry, would be revisited in five years, once the air and noise emission quality data and technological details are available.
"The Environment Ministry has notified new environment standards for gensets running on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), Natural Gas (NG), Diesel with LPG, NG and petrol with LPG, NG operated in various cities and towns in the country.
"The primary aim of the new standards for gensets is to control air and noise pollution emanating from the operation of gensets. These standards were recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after consultations with industries and other stakeholders," an official statement said.

In all, the three fuel modes of operation, a three-tier classification has been adopted and these standards will control the air and noise emission profile across different category of gensets, the ministry said.
"These standards will control the air and noise emission profile across different category of gensets and would be revisited in 4-5 years once air and noise emission quality data and technological details pertaining to gensets are available," it said.

The draft standards were uploaded on the ministry's website on July 20 last year seeking views from stakeholders including general public for extensive consultations.
Based on the recommendations by the Expert Committee, these standards have been recently notified by the ministry in the Gazette of India.

The ministry said the standards have mandated certification for gensets in terms of 'Type approval' and 'Conformity of Production' for air emission as well as noise emission.
The manufacturers are required to obtain certification for engine products by empanelled agencies which will help in regulating the unorganised sector.
This will further help in curbing the illegal import of gensets in the country, which were observed to have higher air and noise emission values, the ministry said.
Recently, the ministry had also notified improved environmental standards for Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants and Sugar Industries (CETPs).