A division bench of the Gujarat High Court on Friday sought details of coal consumption in Gujarat and the number of industries that use only coal as a medium of fuel.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation highlighting air polluting industries in Gujarat and the the need to adhere to permissible pollution standards, filed by advocate Amit Panchal, appearing as party-in-person.
The PIL sought to ensure that industries switch over to cleaner fuels of natural gas. Government pleader Manisha Shah, however, submitted, “Coal is one of the (air polluting) factors… PNG/CNG would be a very ideal situation but today we have to see what is the cost factor. PNG and CNG are extremely expensive… Today industries are coming up in very remote areas because that is where they get the subsidies… Do you have your gas networks over there…” Shah added that the state is attempting to phase out coal as a fuel in industries.
