Most of the coal-based TPP spared from installing anti-pollution flu gas disulfurization system. Bharat News

New Delhi: In a step leaving the majority of coal and lignite-based thermal power plants (TPP) in the country, by installing anti-pollution flu gas disulfasation (FGD) system, the Ministry of Environment has released a revised notification about sulfur dioxide (SOA) for such plants. All these power plants were expected to install FGD equipment to meet the SO2 standards till the first time frame, but many of them failed to do so. FGD is a process of removing sulfur compounds from exit emissions of fossil-fuel power stations. TPPs that do not retire till December 31, 2030 and fail to complete the pollution standards (especially for sulfur dioxide) within their respective time limit, they will have to pay a penalty called environmental compensation. Their compliance deadline has been extended four times since 2017.Although there will be no discounts for existing and under-construction TPP within 10 km of air pollution hotspot, cities with national capital sector (NCR), or 1 million plus population (class A cities, 11% of a total of 600 plants in the country, country), it is another 11% for another 11% as well as another 11% for another 11%, along with another 11% for another 11%, another 11% for another 11%, another 11% for another 11% for another Beyond NCR. The remaining TPP (78%of the total) in the rest of the cities which fall under the category C, will be fully exempted from following the anti -pollution norms related to sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission standards.“SO for the revised notification category B and C thermal power plants, dilute or removes the criteria and weakens India’s clean air ambitions, which simultaneously represents most coal capacity of the country. Simultaneously, these exemptions threatens to compromise on industrial air pollution control and reduce the effectiveness of India’s environmental regulations.” CSE analysis suggests that exemption to all category plants based on location is ignored by cumulative pollution, especially in areas such as Singrauli or Korba which are not “officially” CPAs, but are seriously affected. In particular, more than 75% of India’s thermal power capacity – up to 166,885.5 MW -Falls under Category C. “Such mass discounts reduce the effectiveness of emission standards and have a serious risk for public health and environmental stability,” Yadav said.The notification issued on Saturday came six months after the Ministry extended the timeline for three more years to install pollution control equipment and gave a fourth extension to TPPS. Giving relief to the defaulters, the ministry abolished the time limit for TPP located in the 10 km radius of NCR in January, with a million plus population from December 31, 2024 to 31 December, 2027.As part of the revised notification, if a thermal power plant is planning to retire before December 31, 2030, it does not need to meet the SO, emission standards, but only when the plant officially offers an undertaking from both the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), stating that 31 December 2030.Pointing to the flaws of the revised notification, CSE said in its analysis that the permission to compliance sulfur dioxide for category B thermal power plants “case by-case” creates a major regulatory flaws. “This unclear and subjective approach shows inconsistency, delay and lack of accountability in enforcement. Instead of providing clarity, it promotes regulator uncertainty for operators. It is important as a pollutant as SO₂, whose health effects are well documented, such conscience dilutes the integrity of environmental regulation and reduces the main purpose of emission standards, “Yadav said.Referring to frequent expansion of the deadline, he said, “All allowing the Central Government to give more extensions on the basis of CPCB advice may delay the actual pollution control. The previous experience suggests that the deadline is increased frequently.”