The Uttar Pradesh-based textile and apparel industry is already facing the brunt of prolonged power cuts and now the issue is only going to get more challenging in the days to come as Environment Pollution (prevention & control) Authority (EPCA) has issued orders not to use diesel-based generators in Noida and Greater Noida from 15 October.
The orders, issued for National Capital Region (NCR) keeping in view the pollution, do not apply to PNG- and CNG-based generators.
It is pertinent to mention here that from 15 October, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be applicable.
The industry is worried as during power cut, without generators all operations will come to a halt eventually leading to heavy losses as well as delay in overall production and deliveries.
Noida and Greater Noida, the biggest apparel manufacturing hubs of Uttar Pradesh, have around 30,000 units. Some areas of these hubs face on average three power cuts every day during working hours, and so without a generator, it will be tough for the units to work smoothly.
Most of the apparel manufacturers are using diesel-based generators.
Rajeev Bansal, MD, Celestial Knits and Fab and National Secretary of Indian Industries Association (IIA) said, “As the State Government has given subsidies regarding generator and its non-polluting fuel in Agra (to save Taj Mahal from pollution), the similar facility should be given to those areas of Uttar Pradesh that come under NCR. Converting diesel-based generator into CNG has a huge cost and in the current scenario, apparel exporters can’t bear any such cost at all.”
The breakdown is also another reason that companies are forced to use the generator.
On the other hand, it is also pertinent to mention here that around 100 industrial units in Gautam Budh Nagar withdrew their power connections since April this year and 150 have opted for reduced power loads.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
