Govt to permit high-sulphured coal import for another year
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
FE Report
The government has decided to extend the period of importing high-sulphured coal for another year, as the country is currently witnessing serious energy crisis, officials said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Commerce will soon publish a statutory regulatory order to this effect, allowing the importers to bring coal containing more than one per cent sulphur, considering the economic interest of the country.
An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Commerce Secretary Md Ghulam Hussain Monday decided to allow importing high-sulphured coal until June 2011 due to high demand of the key energy product despite its negative impact on environment.
The meeting however urged the importers to protect environment as much as possible. It also asked them to import coal that contains lesser amount of sulphur.
Officials said the Department of Environment would monitor application of modern technology at brick-kilns, a key coal user.
The inter-ministerial meeting also asked the DoE to collect information on how other countries are doing to stop or reduce environment pollution while using coals that contain higher level of sulphur. The DoE will share the information with the users.
The meeting also decided to request National Board of Revenue (NBR) to impose additional tax on the brick-kilns that use old technology.
The government has decided to extend the period of importing high-sulphured coal for another year, as the country is currently witnessing serious energy crisis, officials said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Commerce will soon publish a statutory regulatory order to this effect, allowing the importers to bring coal containing more than one per cent sulphur, considering the economic interest of the country.
An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Commerce Secretary Md Ghulam Hussain Monday decided to allow importing high-sulphured coal until June 2011 due to high demand of the key energy product despite its negative impact on environment.
The meeting however urged the importers to protect environment as much as possible. It also asked them to import coal that contains lesser amount of sulphur.
Officials said the Department of Environment would monitor application of modern technology at brick-kilns, a key coal user.
The inter-ministerial meeting also asked the DoE to collect information on how other countries are doing to stop or reduce environment pollution while using coals that contain higher level of sulphur. The DoE will share the information with the users.
The meeting also decided to request National Board of Revenue (NBR) to impose additional tax on the brick-kilns that use old technology.