Delhi pollution: Railway Board asks 4 zones to replace, convert non-compliant diesel generators
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New Delhi (PTI): The Railway Board has asked four zones to replace or convert non-compliant diesel generator (DG) sets in line with the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for controlling air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
In a letter dated November 18, the Board told the Northern, North Central, Northwestern, and West Central zones to "replace the non-compliant DG sets with compliant DG sets".
It added that if replacements are not possible, the zones can either convert the DG sets to dual fuel mode or install with a Retrofit Emission Control Device (RECD).
The instruction followed a communication sent by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to the chairman of the Railway Board on October 26. The Committee had sought suitable directions to ensure compliance with the CAQM order on the use of only compliant DG sets.
"All units, including industrial, commercial, residential, office establishments, banks, mobile tower buildings, health care facilities, railway stations, metro stations, bus terminals, embassies, etc. under your jurisdiction, are required to replace the non-compliant DG sets with the compliant DG sets or convert to dual fuel mode or install RECD, as applicable, to control air pollution due to the operation of DG sets," DPCC had said in its letter.
"You are also well aware that Delhi faces grave air pollution, particularly in the winter season, and the level of pollutants goes much beyond the prescribed standards for Ambient Air Quality," it added.
The DPCC stated that the entire Union Territory of Delhi has been designated as an air pollution control area under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Further, the CAQM in NCR and the adjoining regions has issued directions in 2023 and 2024 for the regulated use of DG sets to curb air pollution in Delhi.
The DPCC also cited five specific directions for DG sets of different capacities, ranging from less than 19 kV to 800 kV, along with the required actions for each category.
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge met a high-level delegation from Chile, led by Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna, at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday to discuss collaboration in emerging technologies, clean energy, and startup ecosystems, officials said.
The delegation’s visit to Bengaluru, as part of its India engagements, underscores Karnataka’s growing prominence as a preferred partner for global collaborations in technology, innovation, and startup ecosystems, officials added.
The discussions reflected strong alignment between Chile’s evolving technology-focused growth strategy and Karnataka’s established leadership in innovation and deep-tech ecosystems, according to a statement.
Both sides explored opportunities to build partnerships that move beyond traditional sectors and focus on innovation-led growth, talent exchange, and market access.
The meeting focused on opportunities in renewable energy, including green hydrogen and sustainable industrial innovation.
Other potential areas of collaboration included marine biotechnology, aquaculture technologies, and AI applications across traditional industries.
According to the state IT minister, Karnataka is now a global hub for deep-tech, AI, biotech, aerospace, and advanced research, backed by one of the world’s strongest talent pipelines.
“As partners under the global innovation alliance, we must move beyond agreements on paper to actionable collaboration,” Kharge said.
“We are keen to work with Chile on startup exchanges, market access programmes, and building joint innovation corridors, including R&D centres, incubators, and accelerators. Chile’s position as a gateway to Latin America presents a significant opportunity for our startups to scale globally,” he added.
Officials said the engagement builds on the Letter of Intent signed between the Government of Karnataka and the Government of Chile during the Bengaluru Tech Summit, which established a framework for collaboration in startups, emerging technologies, research, and skill development under the Global Innovation Alliance.
Mackenna, Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the country is actively advancing its transition toward a knowledge- and technology-driven economy.
“Our engagement with Karnataka reflects our interest in building strong innovation partnerships that enable technology exchange, talent collaboration, and access to dynamic startup ecosystems,” he added.
“We see significant potential to work together in sectors such as clean energy, digital technologies, and emerging industries, while also strengthening Chile’s role as a bridge between India and Latin America,” he said.
