In a stark revelation, a comprehensive study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) sheds light on the distressing role played by coal-based thermal power plants in worsening air quality in the Delhi-NCR region. The analysis, focused on 11 thermal power plants operating in the vicinity, exposes a glaring non-compliance with emission control norms, contributing a substantial 8% of particulate matter (PM) to the already polluted air.
Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE, voiced serious concerns in a press release, stating, “Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters.”
The study, which spanned from April 2022 to August 2023, scrutinized emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the identified thermal power plants. Shockingly, only two out of the 11 plants have implemented sulfur dioxide control measures, with merely one meeting the stringent SO2 emission standards.
CSE’s report underscores the persistent struggles of these power plants to align with prescribed norms despite repeated deadline extensions and revised categorizations. The Ministry of Environment, in a bid to regulate emissions, had established stringent standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015. However, subsequent relaxations and extensions, coupled with a lack of compliance from numerous plants, have raised concerns about the effectiveness of regulatory measures.
The recent study pinpoints the urgency of adopting robust compliance mechanisms and the need for incentives to facilitate prompt changes in the operations of these thermal power plants.
