Proposed ban of petcoke import not to apply to cement industry

India’s Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) is determined to get a ban on petcoke import, although the ban would not apply to the cement industry, according to Sunita Narain, green activist and member of the EPCA.

"We have recommended a ban on petcoke import into India and we have recommended a ban on the use of petcoke in all industries other than cement," Ms Narain said.

The Supreme Court-appointed EPCA has pitched using India's own domestic petcoke in the cement industry.

"India generates about 10 to 12 mn tonnes of petcoke from its own refineries that should go into cement plants, and we should not become the dumping ground for petcoke from the US or Saudi Arabia which is a very dirty fuel," said Ms Narain, who is director-general of the Centre for Science and Environment.

"The Ministry says there should be no ban, but there should be standards on furnace oil (FO) and emissions. We said 'fine' and gave to the court a list of industries which don't have standards."

The final hearing is scheduled for 24 October in India’s Supreme Court.