In response to public interest litigation concerning air pollution in the state, a division bench of the Gujarat High Court has sought the government’s response on why a 2017 notification or any similar notification or order of the state declaring coal as an approved fuel be not struck down.
In October 2017, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had issued a notification specifying a list of 15 ‘approved fuels’ in the state, which included coal, lignite and petcoke, among others. The notification was issued in exercise of the powers conferred to GPCB under the provisions of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
