Air Quality Commission’s Directions on Piped Natural Gas (PNG)

December 23, 2020

The Air Quality commission recently directed all the industries in the National Capital Region to switch over to Piped Natural Gas. Also, the commission provided a set of other directions. The twenty-member Commission was formed by Ministry of Environment.

Air Quality Commission Directions

The commission directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to inspect and identify industries using unapproved fuels and take stringent penal actions in case of non-compliances.
DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee), Indraprastha Gas Limited and GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) are to provide required assistance.
The commission has identified 1,644 industrial units spread across fifty industrial areas in Delhi to switch over to Piped Natural Gas.
The deadline of switch over is January 31, 2021.

Background

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) operating under Ministry of Earth Science recently announced that the air quality of the national capital has been deteriorating continuously. It has remained “Very Poor” category, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 373. The Surface-level winds are low and are likely to slowdown further and surface inversion is likely to form. The Surface Winds are the winds blowing near the surface of the earth. It is measured using Anemometer. This will create calm, wind-cold conditions. During such conditions, Radiation fog formation is likely in the region.

What is Radiation Fog?

Radiation Fog forms when all the solar energy exits the earth and allows the temperature to meet up dew point. This fog forms overnight as the air near the ground cools and stabilizes. Of all the different types of fog, Radiation Fog is the most common fog in India.

How is Radiation Fog formed?

It is formed when the ground cools due to outgoing radiation in the night. Also, there should be sufficient moisture in the atmosphere for radiation fog formation to cause condensation. Therefore, radiation fog if formed mainly during winter when Northern India gets winter rains due to Western Disturbances.