Concrete

A big win for Delhi-NCR

Published

9 years ago

October 31, 2017

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The ban on pet coke and furnace oil in industrial sectors of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh has received mixed reactions from the industry experts. However, the Centre for Science and Environment has welcomed the Apex Court’s decision.

In a landmark delivered on October 24, 2017 the Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta banned the use of dirty furnace oil and pet coke in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh from November 1, 2017. These fuels are already banned in Delhi. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has lauded this directive as a big win for Delhi-NCR as well as the rest of the country fighting a tough battle against toxic pollution.

The bench has also directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to notify the standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) for industrial sectors; the standards have to be complied with by December 31, 2017. In addition, the MoEF&CC has also been directed to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh to the Supreme Court. This order has come in response to the findings and recommendations of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), which exposed widespread use of these fuels in industrial sectors of the NCR and found extremely high levels of toxic sulphur in these fuels.

Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director – Research and Advocacy, CSE, elaborated: "EPCA investigations have exposed extremely high sulphur levels in these fuels as stated above." Furnace oil and pet coke are the dirtiest by-products and residual fraction from the refinery process. Use of these fuels was banned in Delhi way back in 1996.

What has the court’s order done:
Eliminates the use of dirtiest industrial fuels in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and mandates first ever stringent NOx and SOx standards for industry nation-wide: This momentous order eliminates in one stroke the use of dirtiest bottom-of-the-barrel fuels from the industrial units of the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and makes all industrial units across the country liable for compliance with the new emissions standards by December 31, 2017.

Enormous pollution reduction potential from the industrial sector: Use of such dirty fuels contribute hugely to toxic gases like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the air. Moreover, these gases, once out in the air form secondary particulates and add to the particulate load. A large number of industrial units operating in Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, Noida and Greater Noida, Hapur, Bulandshahar, Alwar, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Rohtak, Mewat, Sonipat, Rewari, Palwal, Karnal, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar have been using these dirty fuels.

Says Roychowdhury: "This is a very important step forward as air pollution in industrial areas is very high. Till now, there were no air pollution monitors in industrial areas of NCR. But following the Supreme Court order, air quality monitors have been installed this year in Bhiwadi, Ghaziabad (Vasundhara), and Faridabad." A CSE analysis of the data shows higher pollution levels in these areas compared to other locations – with Bhiwadi indicating the highest levels. CSE researchers point out that the order is expected to have nation-wide impact, as industries across the country will have to comply with the new standards for SOx and NOx that are not regulated currently in India.

The intervention of the Supreme Court is very opportune and timely as the recently enforced GST has created huge incentive for these dirty fuels to thrive. Both these fuels are included in GST and are in the 18 per cent tax bracket. But the industries that use these fuels for manufacture get a credit. The tax of 18 per cent is fully credited to industry. But the cleaner option, natural gas which is not included in GST pays VAT as high as 26 per cent (such as in Uttar Pradesh). This incentive is thus fanning and expanding the use of dirty fuels. Demand for pet-coke has increased to such an extent that last year India imported 14 million tonnes of pet-coke, which is more than the domestic production. If imports and domestic production are added, then India has used more pet-coke than China, when its pollution was at its peak. Roychowdhury points out: "Today, China has stopped imports of pet-coke. But India has become a dumping ground of pet-coke from the US, which has banned its internal use because of pollution." There has been a lot of delay already in the framing and implementation of the standards and the ban. All concerned agencies will now have to focus on implementation of the order. In fact, the EPCA had filed its first report on the matter in April 2017 asking for expansion of the ban on use of furnace oil and pet-coke which was already in force in Delhi, to the rest of NCR. In the due process of hearing the MoEF&CC made a plea saying instead of ban, industries should be allowed to adhere to emission standards.

Harish Salve (Amicus Curiae) in the matter, brought to the notice of the Supreme Court that there are no emission standards for SOx and NOx for industries. In response, the Court on May 2, 2017 directed that the standards be issued by the MoEF&CC by June 2017. In July 2017, the ministry asked for more time, which was granted. But industries were put on notice that they would need to comply with standards by December 31, 2017.

Today, the MoEF&CC submitted to the Supreme Court the draft emission standards for SOx and NOx, issued on October 23, 2017. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted an affidavit saying that it had sent the proposed standards to the ministry on June 27, 2017. For two industrial sectors-nitric acid and fertilizers-the standards had been sent way back in 2014. Clearly, the process of standard-setting was caught in a time warp. The Judges of the apex court were not amused by this inexplicable delay.

Said Sunita Narain, Director General of CSE and a member of the EPCA: "India has continued the use of these extremely polluting fuels without any regulation for too long. Any further delay in standards and implementation of the court order will make the air pollution and health risk worse. Implementation of the directive from the Supreme Court today has to be the top agenda for pollution control and we must take action urgently."

– Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director CSE, Research and Advocacy and head of the air pollution and clean transportation programme.

For more information from CSE, contact Souparno Banerjee of the CSE Media Resource Centre, Email: souparno@cseindia.org / Tel: 9910864339.

Concrete

Shree Cement Targets Above Industry Volume Growth In FY27

Chairman says firm will favour organic expansion and higher dividends

Published

3 days ago

June 16, 2026

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Shree Cement expects to outpace the industry in the financial year 2026-27 as it pursues organic expansion and pricing discipline following a recent investor conference. The chairman said the company has completed a pricing realignment and recovered volumes lost during that exercise. Management signalled a clear preference for internal investments rather than acquisitions to support growth.

The company reported that capacity additions and demand growth across core markets are expected to underpin stronger volume performance, with a target of growing volumes at around 1.1 times the industry growth rate. Cash levels are likely to decline as capital expenditure progresses and shareholder distributions increase, the chairman indicated. The board has prioritised higher dividends over a buyback as a means of reducing excess cash.

Shree Cement described a market shift towards value and affordability rather than a race to the lowest price, which links demand expansion more closely with pricing. Historically, prices have risen at around three per cent annually over long periods, the company noted, and while prices may increase faster this year because of cost pressures from geopolitical tensions, a material improvement in industry profitability is not anticipated. In North India, the company expects additional capacity to be absorbed as demand grows, estimating a requirement of roughly 10 million (mn) tonne (t) of incremental demand annually.

The next phase of expansion will focus on the north, west, east and northeast regions, with existing projects and planned capacities viewed as sufficient to meet future demand without pursuing acquisitions. Management said it has already regained lost volumes while sustaining higher prices and will continue to monitor regional opportunities, including a possible investment in West Bengal pending clarity on industrial policy. The company, which has a current market capitalisation of Rs 852,948.9 mn, has seen its shares lose more than 20 per cent over the past year.

Concrete

Ramco Cements’ Hard Worker Campaign Wins Seven Awards

Campaign earns honours for direction, editing and cinematography

Published

4 days ago

June 15, 2026

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The Hard Worker campaign by The Ramco Cements has secured seven honours at the Good Ads Matter Awards 2026, adding to its growing list of accolades and reinforcing its standing among the year’s most recognised advertising campaigns.

The awards were presented during the Good Ads Matter Awards Night 2026 held at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai. The campaign received recognition across multiple categories, highlighting excellence in direction, editing, cinematography and storytelling.

Among the honours, the campaign won Silver in the Campaign of the Year – Direction category, while filmmaker Prakash Varma was named Director of the Year for the films Tortoise & Hare and Eco Plaster. Tortoise & Hare also received Silver awards for Best Editing and Best Colour Grading, along with a Bronze award for Best Cinematography. Eco Plaster earned Bronze awards in the Best Direction – Narrative and Best Direction – Humour categories.

Both films extended their award-winning run, with Eco Plaster being recognised for its narrative centred on water conservation through innovative construction solutions, while Tortoise & Hare was honoured for its storytelling and craft execution.

The Hard Worker campaign was built around the idea that hard work deserves recognition and respect. Through culturally rooted and emotionally engaging stories, the campaign has connected with consumers, engineers, masons and the wider construction community across the country.

Commenting on the achievement, A V Dharmakrishnan, CEO of The Ramco Cements Limited, said that the continued recognition across leading creative platforms reflects the company’s commitment to meaningful and authentic communication rooted in the values of the people it serves.

Balaji K Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, The Ramco Cements Limited, said the awards recognise the craftsmanship behind the storytelling, from direction and cinematography to editing and narrative execution.

Following recognition at both the Kyoorius Creative Awards and the Good Ads Matter Awards, the Hard Worker campaign continues to demonstrate the impact of purpose-driven storytelling combined with strong creative execution and consumer relevance.

Concrete

Cement Makers Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Growth

Published

2 weeks ago

June 5, 2026

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World Environment Day spotlight on innovation and circularity

On World Environment Day, the Indian cement industry reiterated its commitment to supporting India’s climate ambitions through sustainable manufacturing, resource efficiency and the adoption of cleaner technologies.

The Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) said the sector remains aligned with the Government of India’s Net Zero commitments and is accelerating efforts to reduce its environmental footprint while supporting the country’s infrastructure and development agenda.

Parth Jindal, President, CMA and Managing Director, JSW Cement, said the industry is increasingly adopting cleaner technologies, improving energy efficiency and expanding the use of alternative fuels and raw materials. He also highlighted the growing importance of circular economy practices, where industrial by-products and waste streams from one sector are utilised as resources in another.

“The Indian Cement Industry is aligned to the Government’s commitments on carbon mitigation and is accelerating the adoption of cleaner technologies, resource efficiency and circular economy practices while actively exploring the potential of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) as a critical pathway for deep decarbonisation,” said Jindal.

He added that coprocessing industrial waste and by-products helps conserve natural resources, reduce disposal requirements and lower the environmental footprint across multiple sectors.

According to Jindal, sustainability is no longer limited to manufacturing processes but is increasingly influencing investment decisions, innovation strategies and long-term growth plans within the industry.

Echoing similar views, Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Vice President, CMA and Managing Director, JK Cement, said sustainable development extends beyond emissions reduction and must also focus on responsible resource utilisation and waste minimisation.

“Sustainability in the built environment cannot be measured by emissions alone. It is equally about how efficiently we use resources, how effectively we minimise waste and how responsibly we create the infrastructure that will serve future generations,” said Singhania.

He noted that the cement industry is advancing its sustainability agenda through greater resource efficiency, increased circularity, technological innovation and continuous improvements in manufacturing practices. As a key contributor to India’s infrastructure development, the sector has a critical role to play in balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, industry leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting India’s climate goals while delivering the materials required for resilient, durable and sustainable infrastructure.