In order to reduce air pollution in the national Capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday directed States in the National Capital Region (NCR) to adopt a standard list of approved fuels that can be used for various purposes. The fuels approved by the CAQM include petrol, diesel, hydrogen/methane, natural gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and electricity.

The CAQM said heavily polluting fuels like coal, Light Diesel Oil (LDO) and Naptha stand banned across Delhi-NCR from January 1. Terming air pollution as a matter of "grave concern", the panel said the standard list of approved fuels will come into force from October 1 for areas where PNG infrastructure and supply are already available and from January 1 for other areas.

"With a view to abate air pollution from emissions arising out of polluting fuels being used for various industrial, vehicular, domestic and miscellaneous purposes in the NCR, the CAQM has directed NCR State Governments and the GNCTD for the adoption of a standard list of fuels," the panel said in a statement.

The approved fuels for the entire NCR are petrol (BS-VI with 10 ppm sulphur), diesel (BS-VI with 10 ppm sulphur), hydrogen/methane, natural gas (CNG/PNG/LNG); Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) /Propane/Butane, electricity, aviation turbine fuel.

The list also includes refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for power plants, cement plants, waste-to-energy plants, firewood/biomass briquettes for religious purposes, wood/bamboo charcoal for tandoors and grills of hotels/restaurants/banquet halls (with emission channelization/control system) and open eateries/dhabas, wood charcoal for cloth ironing, electricity/CNG/firewood and biomass briquettes for crematoria, it said.

 The panel has also issued a list of fuels permissible for selective industrial applications beyond the jurisdiction of the Delhi.

The fuels that are approved for selective industrial applications are biomass/ agriculture refuse and pellets/briquettes, for industrial boilers, power plants, biofuel projects, cement industry, waste to energy plants, biomass pellets/ briquettes is allowed for tandoors and grills in hotels/ restaurants/ banquet halls and for open eateries or dhabas, it said.

Metallurgical coke will be approved for industrial purposes in standalone Cupola-based foundries while low Sulphur Fuels namely LSHS, very low Sulphur fuel oil & ultra-low sulphur fuel oil - for industrial purposes in metal smelting/melting/ refining/ heating furnaces and kilns, it said

The panel said all other fuels will be deemed as "unapproved" in NCR. "It is essential to have a standard list of approved fuels for various applications across all sectors in the entire NCR to achieve improved air quality in the National Capital Region," the statement read.