Supreme Court Seeks Guidelines for Import of High-Polluting Pet Coke

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to establish guidelines/standards for the import of pet coke, a highly-polluting fuel, by the calciner industry.

This issue was raised before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra conducting the hearing on a matter associated with pollution. The Supreme court declined to give any relief to a company associated with the calciner industry, but emphasized that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change should draw out standards for the import of pet coke, which is used all over the country in the cement industry, lime kilns, calcium carbide, and gasification industries.

Calciner and aluminum industries import pet coke for use as feedstock.

The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), appointed by the court, had expressed concern that pet coke is a highly polluting fuel and therefore, it is essential to exercise control on its import.

Senior counsel Aparajita Singh, assisting the top court as amicus curia, insisted on the Ministry drawing out standards and the counsel for Centre, also present in the courtroom, agreed with her.

According to the EPCA report, the apex court order in 2018 permitted annual import of 1.4 million metric tonnes of anode grade raw pet coke (RPC) by the calciner industry, but was conditional on the fact that the calciners would be required to be equipped with a flue gas desulphurization (FGD) system with minimum 90 percent scrubbing efficiency, aimed at reducing sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, which is a major pollutant threatening the health of the environment.

Reportedly, India is the largest emitter of SO2 in the world, contributing more than 15 percent of global anthropogenic emissions, according to a report published by an international NGO last month.

The EPCA report said the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has not allocated pet coke for the calciner company's second unit located in Achutapuram, which is under development. (IANS)

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