Srinagar, Sep 15: Taking strong exception to the usage of petcoke by the cement industries in Khonmoh area, Apni Party Provincial President, Kashmir, Muhammad Ashraf Mir Wednesday demanded that the government should ban the use of this health hazardous fuel after the government’s fixed deadline of three years.
A statement Apni Party issued here quoted Mir as saying that a recent study conducted by the University of Kashmir had indicated that there were high levels of air pollution beside high prevalence of diseases particularly, respiratory problems, eye irritations and dermatological problems among the population living in and around the industrial estate in Khonmoh area.
He said that the use of petcoke, a dark solid carbon material by the cement industries, had contributed immensely in emission of greenhouse gas, causing a huge degradation of ecology and environment in the area.