Around 85 percent of Delhi-NCR residents with personal or society generators running on diesel are unwilling to retrofit them with CNG, according to a survey conducted by a digital community-based platform.
The survey by LocalCircles revealed significant resistance among residents, despite the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which banned the use of diesel generator sets from October 1 to December 31, 2023, as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in the region.
The survey received more than 22,000 responses from Delhi National Capital Region residents in the cities of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad. To address concerns over power disruptions in essential sectors in the NCR, the CAQM granted a three-month reprieve for the use of DG sets in nine critical categories of emergency services till December 31.
The survey asked, ‘How are you or your society complying with the diesel generator restrictions effective from October 1, as the GRAP guidelines for pollution control are in effect?’ The survey results indicate that only 15 percent of Delhi-NCR residents surveyed who use diesel generators (personal or at the society level) are likely to retrofit them to CNG by December 31, 2023, while 85 percent are unwilling to comply with the new regulations.
However, the survey also highlights that 56 percent of residents in Delhi and nearby areas do not intend to adhere to the December 31 deadline, putting them at risk of potential repercussions.
