Diesel gensets power NCR as long outages continue 

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region launched recently has helped proactive rolling out of stricter measures to discourage private vehicles on roads, stop use of diesel generators and close brick kilns and stone crushers.

The measures, especially the guideline to ban diesel generators, have created issues for offices and housing societies in areas like Gurugram, Noida and Noida Extension, where diesel generators have become the prime source of power during long periods of load shedding.

Most colonies in Nodia and Noida Extension are seen defying the guidelines, as the society managements continue to use diesel generators to supply power to residents.

The GRAP came into force on Tuesday.

Speaking to IANS, one resident of a large township developed by a private builder near Shahberi village in Greater Noida Extension, on condition of anonymity said: "What GRAP? No one in the area knows about any of this guideline and especially when there are long power cuts, there is no option but to use generators"

In another society located on the Ghaziabad-Noida border, residents confessed ignorance aboutr the GRAP guidelines and almost all societies and townships run by private builders or RWAs were seen using generators to supply power to flats.

"Why would they stop using generators? These builders have been making crores of rupees by simply supplying power from diesel generators. Neither do builders want to give up their share of profit, nor do residents want to suffer without fan or light," a resident said.

In Haryana too, the state government has, in a recent letter, asked the expert panel to exempt colonies or societies in the state developed by builders "which are at the moment supplied electricity through generator sets alone pending resolution of infrastructure inadequacies".

In its letter to Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) Chairman Bhure Lal, Haryana's power department said that the ban would have a "scaling and massive impact" on consumers as there was no alternative.

EPCA has now asked power officials of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi to provide details of how many colonies, sectors, commercial establishments, industrial units and malls are using gensets and how many occupation certificates were issued without connecting such establishments to a regular power supply.

It has also asked for a record of outages and breakdowns of power supply. The Supreme Court-mandated EPCA has sought a time-bound schedule in which these establishments would be connected to regular power supply in the least amount of time.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has already come up with a list of exemptions where generator sets will be allowed. These include essential services, such as medical ones (hospitals, nursing homes or healthcare facilities), elevators or escalators, railways, Delhi Metro services, including its trains and stations, airports and interstate bus terminals.