Considering banning import of pet coke: Centre to SC

New Delhi, Dec 4 : The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it was considering banning the import of pet coke as it urged the court to exempt the cement, lime and power plants from the ban on its use.

"We are considering banning the import of pet coke," a bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was told by Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni.

The US is the largest exporter of pet coke oil.

Arguing against banning of imports, Senior counsel Gopal Subramanium, appearing for one the petitioners, told the bench that relying on account of domestic production only would create a monopoly situation.

Nadkarnai told the court that cement and lime industry be exempted from using pet coke as it was not using it as a fuel but as a desulphurising agent.

Similarly, the bench was urged to exempt the power plants from using pet coke as they too were not using it as fuel but only for start or shut down purposes which is once in a six months or a year.

The court said that it will hear the matter on December 13.

The apex court in its order in October, had banned the use of pet coke and furnace oil in the National Capital Region. The Central government, in pursuance to the court order, issued a notification banning the use of the polluting fuel by the industry in entire Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

The top court, on November 17, had asked all the states and Union Territories to consider enforcing the decision of the Environment and Forests Ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board prohibiting the use of pet coke and furnace oil.

On the last hearing of the matter on November 22, the court had asked the states and UTs to voluntarily enforce the Ministry and board order. It had said that the pollution caused by the pet coke and furnace oil was not limited to the National Capital Region but affected other states as well.